As news of Japanese Major League players’ performances continues to make headlines across MLB teams, Munetaka Murakami—who will join the Chicago White Sox in 2026—was placed on the injured list (IL) on May 30 and is expected to be out for 4 to 6 weeks.
Amid all this, during the third game of a three-game interleague series against the Los Angeles Dodgers from June 12 to 14 (local time), he was seen training on the field for the first time since being placed on the injured list, indicating that his recovery is progressing smoothly.
Commenting on this trend, Brooks Boyer, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer of the Chicago White Sox, said, “I am very pleased to see that since Mune (Murakami) joined the team, the White Sox have been gaining a foothold in Japanese communities. Mune is among the top sellers when it comes to jerseys, and those with his name written in kanji are particularly popular.
As you know, the White Sox are a young team. Even at 26, Mune is one of the older players on the team, yet he himself belongs to a younger generation than Shohei Ohtani (31), Seiya Suzuki (31), and Kazuma Okamoto (29), so he likely found it easy to fit in with the White Sox, whose players are close to his age. It seems he’s even started to pick up a little Spanish recently.
We are in discussions with JTB regarding a Chicago tour for Japanese travelers that includes White Sox games, and we are also considering the participation of other major travel agencies. I’ve heard that this year’s Silver Week in Japan is the best time to visit, but unfortunately, the White Sox won’t be in Chicago (*Editor’s note: From September 17 to 20 (local time), they will play a four-game series against the Detroit Tigers at their home stadium, Wrigley Field; September 21 is a travel day; and from September 22 to 24, they will play an away series against the Kansas City Royals).
“However, once the game starts today, please go down to the lower level and take a walk around the concourse. If you do, I think you’ll be able to experience firsthand just how exciting this stadium is,” he said, expressing the immense trust and affection directed toward Murakami, who has fully integrated himself into the team and the local fan base.
We will cover the conditions inside and around Rate Field Stadium in a separate article at a later date.
By the way, Murakami is scheduled to have his first-ever bobblehead day on July 26.
Tickets for the July 12 game that come with a WBC-themed bobblehead are already sold out, but bobbleheads commemorating the first home run in MLB history will be distributed to the first 15,000 fans on the 26th. Tickets can be purchased on the website, but since tickets bundled with the bobblehead are not available on that day, you’ll need to line up before the gates open if you want to get one.
Incidentally, the bobblehead on July 26 is provided by TOTO USA. According to a TOTO USA representative, this came about because of Murakami’s strong desire—expressed during his introductory press conference—to have a “Washlet,” which led to the installation of Washlets in the four restrooms next to the players’ locker room at Rate Field.
If Murakami’s time on the injured list is no longer than six weeks, there’s a good chance he’ll be back by July 26. We’ll keep hoping for more good news.
© Source travel watch