The New York Yankees are expected to be busy this offseason after coming up short in their quest to win a World Series once again in the 2025 campaign. The team has several areas of need that must be addressed, and you can bet that general manager Brian Cashman and the front office are going to be aggressive when it comes to bringing some new faces to town this offseason.
One spot that the Yankees need help at is third base, and they are expected to be in the market for a new player to fill this position. Perhaps the top option at this spot this offseason is Japanese sensation Munetaka Murakami, and on Friday morning, he received a major update on his free agent status that will surely catch New York’s attention.
Munetaka Murakami Officially Posted for Free Agency
The allure of adding Murakami isn’t exactly hard to miss. Since finding his way into Nippon Professional Baseball back in 2018 at just 18 years old, Murakami has been arguably the best hitter in all of Japan. Playing for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Murakami hit 246 home runs over eight seasons with the team, including 56 in 2022, which broke the single-season record of 55, previously set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964.
Thanks to his incredible slugging prowess, Murakami is expected to be one of the most popular targets in free agency this offseason. His fit in the field is a bit of a question mark, as he has experience playing at both third base and first base, but his defense isn’t exactly good. With that in mind, many evaluators believe his best fit is as a designated hitter.
That could complicate things for the Yankees, as they already have Giancarlo Stanton manning their designated hitter position. The only opening for Murakami would be at third base, and it remains to be seen whether or not his defensive struggles will scare the team away. The front office will have to make a decision on Murakami soon, though, because he was officially posted as a free agent on Friday morning.
“Japanese star third baseman Munetaka Murakami is entering the posting system Friday, officially starting the process of one of the most anticipated free agencies of the winter, sources told ESPN,” Passan reported. “(Murakami) is expected to draw widespread interest among MLB teams this winter. Murakami’s 45-day window to sign will start at 8 a.m. ET Saturday, sources said, ensuring he will sign with a big-league team before it expires at 5 p.m. on Dec. 22.”
Should the Yankees Sign Munetaka Murakami?
GettyOne MLB insider believes that the Yankees won’t sign Munetaka Murakami in free agency this offseason
Whether or not New York will pursue Murakami likely depends on how comfortable the team is playing him at third base. While Murakami only committed six errors at third base in 2025, it’s largely because he only played 63 games in the field. In each of his past three full seasons, Murakami has had at least 15 errors in the field, which simply won’t cut it for the Yanks.
If Murakami can come over and hit homers like he did in Japan, his woeful production in the field could be worth it for New York, at least until it can find a way to slide him into their designated hitter spot. The Yankees always seem to find a way to be in the running for the top free agents in the league, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them pursue Murakami over the next few weeks.
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