White Sox Rookie Munetaka Murakami Blasts Two Homers in Win Over Cubs

Murakami hits first multi-home run game as White Sox rout Cubs

The 26-year-old rookie now has 17 home runs, second most in MLB behind Kyle Schwarber.

 

It was Murakami’s fourth game this season with three RBIs...

Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami had his first career multi-home run game on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

The 26-year-old now has 17 home runs on the season, putting him second in MLB behind Kyle Schwarber’s 20. He hit his first off Cubs starter Jameson Taillon in the third inning.

Two innings later, the “Southside Samurai” went deep again off Taillon, extending the White Sox lead to 7-0.

It was also Murakami’s fourth game this season with three RBIs. He needed just two more in this game to set a new personal single-game high.

Murakami joined the White Sox in the offseason on a two-year, $34 million deal. Even as a rookie, he’s already building a strong case for American League Rookie of the Year.

After the two home runs, his batting average sits at .237 and his OPS is up to .949, which combines his on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI GOES YARD AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/2JcKcJ8wuf

— MLB (@MLB) May 17, 2026