Phillies Reportedly Among Top Suitors For Japanese Superstar, Per Top MLB Reporter

The Phillies could be chasing Japan's next phenom to make the transition to MLB in free agency, according to one premier MLB reporter

Aug 7, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan infielder Munetaka Murakami (55) hits a solo home run against USA during the third inning in the baseball gold medal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images | Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies' offense is once again under heavy fire, as their utter disappearance in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite brief success in Game 3, led to a second straight premature playoff exit.

Free agency begins in a matter of weeks, and Phillies' President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski will undoubtedly be pressured to make splash additions to change up the current roster landscape. With a relatively weak free agent position player class outside of the top names, he might be forced to get more creative than he'd likely prefer.

The Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan has become a breeding ground for future MLB superstars in recent years, and a brewing storyline has one of the league's best power bats on the brink of attempting to be the newest addition to that trend.

Phillies Named Great Fit For Munetaka Murakami

Mar 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan third baseman Munetaka Murakami (55) hits a home run during the second inning against USA at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Two-time NPB MVP and four-time All-Star 25-year-old 1B/3B Munetaka Murakami, one of Japan's top home run hitters in recent years, is expected to be posted this offseason by the Yakult Swallows, allowing him to ink a deal with any MLB team he chooses.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand described his early view of how Murakami's market could shake out, listing the Phillies as one of the teams that could make a major push for the international phenom.

“The Phillies could slot Murakami in as a DH to replace Kyle Schwarber (who is also set to be a free agent)," Feinsand said. "[They could] move Bryce Harper back to the outfield to open first base or possibly trade third baseman Alec Bohm, who is entering his final year of arbitration."

Other teams Feinsand described as potential fits, all of which he attributed to an article by Japanese media outlet Nikkan Sports, include the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Seattle Mariners, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Boston Red Sox also potentially interested.

Murakami's Impact on the Roster

The power that Murakami would add to the Phillies' lineup is undeniable. He slugged 246 home runs in 892 career games, with his best season coming in 2022, hitting 56 long balls and winning the league's Triple Crown.

Munetaka Murakami's 143-game pace:

163 hits
25 doubles
74 Home Runs
143 RBI's
57 BB
184 K's

Although the strikeouts remain a huge concern, this is genuinely ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/fkLp5tn5Ns

— LouisAnalysis (@LouisAnalysis) September 6, 2025

As with all Japanese players, however, their transition to MLB and, more specifically, facing velocity, is always a question. As Feinsand reported, Murakami has seen his walk rate and whiff rate take opposing, worrying turns in recent years.

A contract value for the young power threat likely all depends on how much teams value his skillset and believe they can improve his weaknesses, as no true contract value has been set yet. For the Phillies, with a roster shakeup inevitably coming and owner John Middleton never one to penny pinch, neither the money nor positional fit should be an issue.

Needing to insert youth, power, and just a different vibe into the Philadelphia clubhouse, it's easy to see why Murakami could fit the bill for such a move.