Munetaka Murakami is making a habit of stealing the spotlight—and this time, he's doing it with history on his side.

In the first inning of Friday's series opener between the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners, Murakami launched an opposite-field home run off starter Emerson Hancock. The blast—clocked at 106.2 mph off the bat and traveling 380 feet—was his 15th of the season, tying him with Aaron Judge for the MLB lead.

But the fireworks didn't stop there. Murakami's homer also extended a remarkable streak: he has now gone deep in eight consecutive series openers, setting a new MLB record. The previous mark of seven was held by Hall of Famer Eddie Murray, set back in 1987. While it's a niche stat, it speaks to Murakami's uncanny ability to deliver when the lights are brightest.

The streak dates back to April 14 against the Tampa Bay Rays, and over that stretch, Murakami has been a force at the plate, entering Friday's game with a .288/.400/.675 slash line.

Murakami's hot start is one of the most surprising storylines of the young MLB season. After years of hype as the next great Japanese slugger, he signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the White Sox—a contract that raised eyebrows given the concerns about his high swing-and-miss rate transitioning from Nippon Professional Baseball to the majors.

So far, the results have been a mixed bag: Murakami leads the American League with 55 strikeouts entering Friday, but his raw power and plate discipline have more than compensated. Whether he can sustain this torrid pace over a full season—or an entire MLB career—remains to be seen. But for now, he's giving baseball fans plenty of reasons to tune in.