Pirates Showing Interest in Japanese Star Slugger
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates need offense for next season and are looking for any place they can find it.
The Pirates targeted National League MVP finalist Kyle Schwarber, who hit an NL-leading 56 home runs in 2025, and would automatically bolster their lineup.
Their four-year, $125 million offer wasn't enough for Schwarber, who re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a five-year, $150 milllion deal, for less money per season than the Pirates offered.
Pittsburgh has other options they'll target in free agency and trades, including an international talent that MLB teams are readying big offers for.
Pirates Still in Mix for Munetaka Murakami
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported on Munteaka Murakami, the top free agent from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) the Japanese professional baseball league, and what teams are in for him.
Morosi reported that the Pirates, along with big-market teams like the Boston Red Sox, Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays, plus the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners are teams interested in Murakami.
Teams that want to sign Murakami have to do so by Dec. 22 at 5 p.m., or he'll return back to the Tokyo Yakult Swallows for next season.
Pittsburgh and the five other teams listed have just 10 days left if they want to sign the Japanese star slugger.
What the Pirates Get in Murakami
The Pirates desperately need power next season, as they finished last in baseball in home runs with 117 on the season and also with the least RBIs, with just 561. They also posted the worst slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655) of any MLB team in 2025.
Murakami has a season-low of 18 home runs, which was back in 2018 when he was 18, and has hit at least 20 home runs in the other seven seasons, with five seasons above 30 home runs.
Season | Home Runs |
|---|---|
2018 | 18 |
2019 | 36 |
2020 | 28 |
2021 | 39 |
2022 | 56 |
2023 | 31 |
2024 | 33 |
2025 | 24 |
Oneil Cruz led the Pirates with just 20 home runs this season and Murakami would instantly give the Pirates a big power bat.
Murakami also turns 26 years old next season and could serve as an importnat piece of the Pirates' future, as they try and become a winning ballclub again.
He also had great team success with the Swallows and won the Gold Medal with Team Japan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which the Pirates would also desire.
Could the Pirates Sign Murakami?
The Pirates missed out on some big power bats already and Murakami would serve as that big-time addition they are looking for.
Pittsburgh has also had connections with free agents like Jorge Polanco, Ryan O'Hearn and fellow Japanese star in Kazuma Okamoto, all of whom can hit home runs and have done so over their careers.
The Pirates normally don't spend much in free agency, but the contract for Schwarber is three times their previous record signing and shows their intent this offseason.
One area the Pirates could get a big advantage in for Murakami is making him their starting designated hitter next season.
Morosi reported that a lot of teams see Murakami as a backup free agent and if the Pirates show a real desire and want for him, that might get them over the edge compared to big-market teams.
Why MLB Teams Are Lining up For Murakami
Murakami turns 26 years old next season and the Swallows already posted him for MLB teams to sign on Nov. 8, with the bidding war already started.
He slashed .273/.394/.550 for an OPS of .945 in 1,003 games with the Swallows from 2018-25, with 960 hits, 170 doubles, five triples, 265 home runs, 722 RBIs and 678 walks to 1,068 strikeouts.
Murakami was the Central League Rookie of the Year in 2019, slashing .231/.332/.481 for an OPS of .814 in 143 games, with 118 hits, 20 doubles, 36 home runs, 96 RBIs and 74 walks to 184 strikeouts.
He dominated in 2021 with the Swallows, slashing .278/.408/.566 for an OPS of .974 in 143 games, with 139 hits, 27 doubles, 39 home runs, 112 RBIs and 106 walks to 133 strikeouts, garnering him MVP honors.
Murakami set the NPB record for the most home runs in a single season by a Japanese-born player with 56 home runs in 2022, breaking Sadaharu Oh's record of 55 home runs in 1964.
He also had a career-best slash line of .318/.458/.710 for an OPS of 1.168 in 141 games, with 155 hits, 21 doubles, a triple, 134 home runs and 118 walks to 128 strikeouts.
Murakami won the MVP unanimously and the Triple Crown as well, putting up one of the best seasons in NPB history.
He also had team success with the Swallows, winning the 2021 Japan Series in six games over the Orix Buffaloes and finishing as runners-up in 2022.
Murakami played with Team Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he slashed .231/.364/.462 for an OPS of .826 in seven games, with six hits in 26 at-bats, three doubles, one home run, six RBIs and six walks to 13 strikeouts.
He hit a walk-off two-out double over Mexico in the Semifinal match and then hit a solo home run in the second inning of the Gold Medal match vs. USA, where Japan won 3-2.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.