There could be a battle of New York looming for a legendary Japanese slugger.
The New York Yankees have long been rumored to be a landing spot for Munetaka Murakami. Now, the Mets have entered the picture.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns was in Japan on Tuesday to watch Murakami play.
New York Mets PBO David Stearns at Meiji Jingu tonight to see Munetaka Murakami https://t.co/pI4W7lNGAu
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) August 12, 2025
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Murakami is likely to be made available at the end of the 2025 NPB season. He’s a Japanese superstar who holds his league’s single-season home run record for a native player, having hit 56 in 2022.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote this about Murakami earlier in the season:
“Murakami profiles as a .240 to .260 type hitter in MLB with legitimate 30-home run power. Defensively, he’s below average at third base and adequate at first base. He’s also played some left field this season for the first time in his career.”
Murakami is 25 years old, just entering his conceptual prime.
He has spent his entire professional career in Japan playing for the Yakult Swallows.
Murakami has been slowed by injuries this season and has five home runs in 26 games.
Overall in his NPB career, Murakami has hit 227 homers in 849 games and batted .270.
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His career on-base percentage is .394 thanks to a very strong walk rate, giving him a .943 OPS in NPB play.
The Mets, if anything, have too many third basemen in the upper reaches of their organization. But with DH in the National League now, and with Pete Alonso on an expiring contract at first base, there is at least the possibility of there being an opening for Murakami.
Stearns flew to the other side of the world to see him. The Mets certainly at least want to see what Murakami has to offer.
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