The San Diego Padres need offensive help, and a Japanese superstar could be the answer.

Munetaka Murakami needs to sign with a Major League team by December 22 at 5:00 P.M.

The left-handed slugger was posted by his team, the Yakult Swallows, and his window to sign is almost closed.

He will sign this week. The question is- with whom?

The Padres, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Mets, Yankees, and Pirates are all linked to him to some degree.

There was a ton of hype about Murakami initially. Things have gone quiet as most teams question his ability to hit major league pitching. More specifically, the fastball, which Morakami reportedly struggled with in Japan. Major League pitchers throw much harder regularly, so a lot of teams are wary of investing too much into the 25-year-old.

Conflicting reports indicate that Murakami only posted a .231 batting average against pitch speeds above 93 mph, but in that same span, he also recorded a .833 OPS, which is very respectable. You just do not see pitchers throwing in the triple digits in Japan on a regular basis as you do in the States. There is every reason to believe that he will adjust, in time, to the upper echelon pitching.

The Japanese slugger won the Triple Crown in 2022 as he slugged 56 homers, drove in 134 runs, and hit .318, posting a 1.169 OPS in 141 games. He was the youngest player (22) to do so in the history of Japanese baseball. He owns 265 career homers in Japan in eight seasons, while recording a .949 OPS in over 3,500 at-bats.

The left-handed hitter is an offensive threat and would fit in well in the middle of the Padres’ lineup.

Murakami will strike out a ton, and his walk rate is trending in the wrong direction, so it is not a slam dunk that he gets top dollar on the open market. He has already come down off his initial asking price, and some sources indicate a five or six-year deal in the $16-21 million range as his lower-end value. Given that he is still very young, that seems like a great deal. If that’s what it takes, the Padres may want to explore the idea of signing him.

Murakami could easily outperform the predicted numbers. There is that kind of upside in his bat. The power will transition to the majors, but can he walk enough, and can the left-handed hitter battle against high-leverage relievers on a nightly basis?

There are some concerns, but no giant red flags.

He missed some time in 2025 with an elbow and an oblique injury that flared up on him a few times during the season. Injuries have not been a major theme for him in the past. Before last season, the 6-foot-2, right-handed thrower played in 14o games in five of the previous six seasons. He is durable. Murakami tends to play every day. Even against left-handed pitching, where he’s shown the ability to put in good swings against southpaws.

Generally, Japanese position players take time to adjust. Murakami will be no different. There are some question marks about his ability to handle high velocity pitchers, but most admit in time, he has the skill level to make the proper adjustments. He should be fine.

The Padres are not in the best financial position right now, so signing Murakami will be difficult.

If the team can move some veteran salaries, then they could bring in the corner infielder. The clock is ticking, though, as Murakami literally has days to sign his contract. In the next 48 hours, will we get an idea of the finalist for his services. If the Padres can swing it, they may be wise to take a chance on this young slugger.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.