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Yikes: White Sox Greet New Star Munetaka Murakami with Locker Room Blunder

Munetaka Murakami arrival at White Sox spring training didn't go as smoothly as they might like.
Elias Schuster|
Dec 22, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; New Chicago White Sox player Munetaka Murakami, right, dons his jersey with General Manager Chris Getz, left, during a press conference where he was introduced at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Dec 22, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; New Chicago White Sox player Munetaka Murakami, right, dons his jersey with General Manager Chris Getz, left, during a press conference where he was introduced at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Chicago White Sox

Breaking from the norm, the Chicago White Sox were among the most widely praised teams in Major League Baseball this offseason.

The organization made some aggressive moves to reinvent its roster and build on the second-half momentum it showed last season. Not only did this include signing respected veterans like Seranthony Dominguez and Austin Hays, but it also meant securing one of the most fascinating free agents on the market.

Overseas standout Munetaka Murakami agreed to a shocking two-year, $34.0 million deal with the franchise. The Nippon Professional Baseball star is a Triple Crown winner and home-run record setter in Japan, and he is now looking to see if his slugging talent can carry over to the States.

The hype around his arrival has been felt across the league, and this is only expected to build as Spring Training officially gets underway for teams this week. Murakami arrived early at the White Sox facility at Camelback Ranch this past week, officially starting what could be a promising new era for the organization.

Nevertheless, as White Sox GM Chris Getz works hard to change the perception around this franchise, we got a recent reminder that it's a lot easier said than done.

White Sox Misspell Munetaka Murakami's Name

Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox
Dec 22, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; New Chicago White Sox player Munetaka Murakami, right, dons his hat with General Manager Chris Getz, left, during a press conference where he was introduced at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Whoever prepped the White Sox' locker room for Spring Training must have been a little too excited.

When Munetaka Murakami arrived at his new digs this weekend, the infielder was greeted with an incorrect name card. The sign had his first name spelled incorrectly, appearing as "Munetaki."

To make matters worse for the Sox, Murakami was quick to share it on his social media, letting the world see that his new organization still has a lot to learn.

To be clear, Murakami's emoji use seems to imply that he wasn't too hurt by the mistake. He was also rather quick to update everyone when the Sox fixed the problem, sharing on Instagram a fresh photo of his locker room label with a thumbs up.

I'm sure the Sox front office took a small sigh of relief!

A stunning signing for the franchise, the last thing the Sox want to do is disappoint their next potential star. They have already been quick to cater things to his liking, and we need to look no further than the clubhouse's new bidets to see precisely that. So, one can only hope this is the only true blunder for the organization as they try to turn over a new leaf.

Anyway, for more on Murakami's arrival at White Sox camp, make sure to check out our post from this weekend!

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Elias Schuster
ELIAS SCHUSTER

Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.

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