Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrived on the West Coast of the United States, wielding all the might of the dragon to deliver a back-to-back championship to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both joined the team in search of power and greatness, and they found exactly that.
Now, with the same insatiable appetite that defines the sport’s great franchises, they want to add a third element from the Land of the Rising Sun. Munetaka Murakami is firmly on the radar of the MLB champions for 2026.
A dinner among Japanese stars that could be recruitment, or not
The Dodgers have become the new Yankees of the ’90s and 2000s, constantly pursuing the best talent available to bring it into their ranks and continue positioning themselves as a generational powerhouse in Major League Baseball.
The price is of little concern. What truly matters is securing the top free agent on the market so they can remain dominant and chase a potential three-peat in MLB.
This past Wednesday, a photo circulated from a dinner at a Japanese restaurant featuring Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Japanese baseball’s free agent, Munetaka Murakami.
The image triggered a wave of speculation among Dodgers fans. It could be that the pitcher was doing a bit of recruiting to convince Murakami to join him and Ohtani, or perhaps it was nothing more than a casual dinner between friends catching up on their lives.
It is worth remembering that in 2024, before the season began, Yamamoto signed a $325 million contract, and Ohtani shattered all known financial boundaries by signing a deal worth $700 million.
Both made it clear they intended to earn every dollar of their respective contracts. Each became a key piece for the Dodgers, and together they delivered the 2025 back-to-back championship.
Roki Sasaki joined the team quietly, signing for just $5.6 million. He struggled throughout the season and dealt with injuries, but upon returning, he became an important asset for the club.
Munetaka Murakami is the Dodgers’ new desire
The Dodgers are determined not to rest on their laurels, which is why they intend to keep reinforcing their roster ahead of the 2026 season with the best talent available. And that is where the Japanese star, Munetaka Murakami, comes in.
The 25-year-old slugger set a record with 56 home runs in 2022, and in eight years in Nippon Professional Baseball, he has racked up a total of 246 homers. Projections suggest a deal around $150 million if he were to sign with the Dodgers, and alongside Muncy, he would be positioned as the designated hitter.
Pieces continue to move behind the scenes, and Dodgers fans are eagerly hoping the franchise can close this signing.
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