White Sox heats up Munetaka Murakami sweepstakes; The Pirates are desperately searching for another “proven bat” after Brandon Lowe

Japanese Munetaka Murakami’s signing window is set to close on Monday and teams have increased their interest in the free agent.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Chicago White Sox have emerged as the latest team interested in the former NPB star. The White Sox are “among the teams currently in talks” with the Japanese free agent, Feinsand reported.

Murakami hit .286/.392/.659 with 24 home runs and a 1.051 OPS in 69 games for Yakult in the NPN last season. He has hit 247 homers in 899 games over the past seven seasons, with a career-high of 56 in 2022.

The White Sox are in desperate need of power in their lineup as Chicago managed 165 home runs last season. If Murakami fails to reach a deal by Monday at 5pm ET, the player will return to the NPB for another season.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates added second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum, and left-handed pitcher Mason Montgomery this week.

The Pirates have reportedly prioritized adding power bats to the lineup to back up NL Cy Young winner Paul Skines. According to Colin Beasley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates hope to add another “proven bat” this offseason.

The Pirates are adding All-Star outfielder Brandon Lowe from the Rays to address their hitting issue ahead of the 2026 season

The Pirates’ search for more at-bats this offseason comes after finishing last in home runs and OPS in the 2025 season. Pittsburgh traded for Brandon Lowe to solve their issues and add more power to the lineup.

Lowe slashed .256/.307/.477 over 553 plate appearances in 2025, hitting 31 home runs, the second-highest of his career. The move ended his eight-year tenure with the franchise, during which he hit 157 home runs while batting .247 with 446 RBI.