Three Japanese Sensations At The 1/3 Mark Of The MLB Season

BusinessSportsMoneyThree Japanese Sensations At The 1/3 Mark Of The MLB SeasonByDan Freedman,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Dan Freedman is lawyer and IBWAA member who writes about baseball.Follow AuthorJun 01, 2026, 09:30am EDTMunetaka Murakami of the White Sox and Kazuma Okamoto of the Blue Jays are two of the three big name Japanese players to come to MLB in 2026. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)Getty ImagesDespite trade wars and tariffs, Japan exported three of its most valuable commodities to the United States (and Canada) this off-season. This spring, Munetaka Murakami, Tatsuya Imai, and Kazuma Okamoto all left the island nation and headed for the pinnacle of baseball competition. Surprisingly, the market for these three players was softer than expected. Murakami signed first, one day before his 45-day posting window closed, agreeing on a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. Imai went next, agreeing to terms with the Houston Astros, who had never before signed a player directly from Japan. His deal was three years, $54 million, with opt outs after each of the first two seasons. Lastly, Okamoto agreed to bypass the U.S. and head to Canada to play for the reigning American League champion Blue Jays. Okamoto also waited until the day before his posting period expired, and then signed in Toronto for four years and $60 million.With the major league season roughly one-third finished, this may be a good time to check on each of these players and see how they are acclimating to life away from the NPB.Munetaka MurakamiThe conversation about the 2026 Japanese player class has to start to Murakami. He came to the White Sox from the Yakult Swallows, where he set the NPB single-season record with 56 homers in 2022. There was a fear among some evaluators that Murakami’s power would not translate in MLB, as the pitching is harder and more advanced. Those evaluators seem to have been wrong.MORE FOR...