The Los Angeles Dodgers have made their intentions clear about “painting Japan blue” and becoming the No. 1 team in the country. “Our hope is that (an) 8-, 9- or 10-year-old kid who is the next Shohei (Ohtani) or Roki (Sasaki) or (Yoshinobu) Yamamoto is wearing a Dodgers hat, and (thinking), ‘I want to be a Dodger,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said this offseason.
However, the New York Yankees’ brand isn’t exactly going away.
Yankees Ace Out at Least 3 Months in Brutal Turn of Events for New York Next offseason, another Japanese superstar is expected to leave Nippon Professional Baseball and come to Major League Baseball.
Munetaka Murakami, a two-time Central League MVP, Triple Crown winner, and four-time All-Star in Japan, is expected to play his final season in NPB this year before coming to MLB in 2026.
In December, Yahoo Sports Japan reported that Murakami announced the 2025 season in Japan would be his last.
With Murakami coming to MLB, the obvious landing spot would be the Dodgers, who have added three of the greatest talents ever seen from Japan over the last two offseasons in Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki.
Murakami even posted a photo in which he was wearing a Dodgers hat in December.
While the Dodgers should have interest in Murakami, who two years ago hit 56 home runs in 141 games with 134 RBIs and an OPS of 1.168, they’ll be far from the only team vying for his services.
The Yankees have been linked to Murakami, too, and that fit may make more sense considering they’ll have a more obvious fit for him at first base.
The Dodgers have Freddie Freeman at first base through the 2027 season, and have the designated hitter spot locked up with Ohtani for the next nine years.
On the flip side, the Yankees have Paul Goldschmidt at first base on a one-year deal, meaning the position will be open next offseason.
Moreoever, Giancarlo Stanton is under contract through 2027 with a club option in 2028, meaning Murakami can shift to DH potentially as soon as 2028.
On a recent episode of Dodgers Dougout Live, Dodgers insider Doug McKain recently provided an update on Murakami’s preferences.
“I was talking to some Japanese NPB insiders, and they told me that he definitely would prefer to play on the West Coast, but it’s going to be West Coast teams versus one team on the East Coast: And it’s the Yankees,” McKain said.
“He’d prefer to be on the West Coast, but he would definitely be willing to sign with the New York Yankees.”
McKain spoke about the fact that Murakami has said he wanted to challenge Ohtani for the home run title in America, and may prefer to be against him rather than with him.
“If I had to pick right now, I think the Yankees would be the favorite to land him,” McKain said. “I think that would be the No. 1 team for him right now.”
Murakami slashed .244/.379/.472 across 143 games last year with 33 home runs, 86 RBIs, and an OPS of .851. Across his seven seasons in the NPB, he’s slashed .270/.395/.550 with 224 home runs, 600 RBIs, and an OPS of .945.
