The race for one of the most powerful bats in Japanese baseball has taken an unexpected turn as the Dodgers appear to be officially out of the running for Munetaka Murakami, clearing the way for the Yankees and other teams looking to add left-handed power to their lineup
The Japanese phenomenon, who has even been compared to Aaron Judge, could leave the Japanese league to make the leap to MLB next season.
Why are the Dodgers dropping out of the fight for Munetaka Murakami?
For weeks, there was speculation that the Dodgers might try to add another Japanese talent, especially after bolstering their relevance in that market with players such as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto
David Vassegh
I haven’t heard any rumors about the Dodgers and Murakami… What I’ve heard is that he’s struggling with high velocity
high-velocity pitching
, a dominant characteristic in
MLB
, seems to have been enough for
L.A.Dodgers
removes an economic giant from the picture and completely reshuffles the competition.
Yankees and Giants take lead in talks with Murakami
Where will Munetaka Murakami play next season?
The GiantsMurakamiRed Sox, Mets, Mariners and Phillies
are keeping a close eye on him, evaluating whether his offensive projection is worth the investment. It would not be a cheap investment, as specialized sites predict contracts in the region of $180 million, plus a posting fee that could raise the total figure significantly.
Maneteka Murakami the talent with as much potential as Shohei Ohtani
The defensive projection also weighs in. According to analyst
Yuri Karasawa
It could be said that Murakami has as much power as Ohtani… And in NPB, Murakami has been a better hitter than Ohtani
However,
Karasawa
also warns that his ideal future could be at first base or as a designated hitter due to the former
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
player’s limitations in range and mobility.
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