After three consecutive seasons of triple-digit losses—including a historically painful 121 defeats in 2024—the Chicago White Sox were desperate for a spark. Enter Munetaka Murakami, the 26-year-old Japanese infielder who has brought a jolt of power to the South Side.
Murakami is currently tied with Aaron Judge for the major league lead in home runs with 13, a remarkable feat that becomes even more eye-popping when you look at his hit distribution. Of his total hits this season, nearly half have left the yard. He has 14 singles and zero doubles or triples—an all-or-nothing approach that is as thrilling as it is rare.
If Murakami sustains this pace, he would be rewriting the record books. Currently, 48.1% of his hits are home runs. The single-season record for home run percentage among qualified hitters belongs to Barry Bonds, who posted a 46.8% mark during his legendary 2001 campaign (73 homers on 156 hits). Mark McGwire isn't far behind, with 46.1% in 1998 (70 homers, 152 hits) and 44.8% in 1999 (65 homers, 145 hits).
Only nine players in MLB history have homered on at least 40% of their hits, and not all of them needed gaudy home run totals. Joey Gallo, for example, hit 41 homers on just 94 hits (43.6%) in 2017 while batting .209—a comp that might feel familiar for Murakami, who is currently hitting .223.
The White Sox, fueled by Murakami's power, rank 28th in batting average but ninth in home runs. Fellow infielder Colson Montgomery is chipping in with a .227 average and nine homers of his own. Chicago recently had a chance to climb back to .500 but saw a five-game winning streak snapped by the San Diego Padres.
Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract this offseason to make the jump from Nippon Professional Baseball to the majors. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Montgomery remains under team control, and left-hander Noah Schultz has made his MLB debut, posting a 2-1 record with a 2.53 ERA. Add in the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, and there are reasons for optimism despite the slow start.
As for the White Sox single-season record for home run percentage? That's a question for the history books—but Murakami is making a strong case to rewrite it.