White Sox possible AL Central collapse could be tied to brutal Munetaka Murakami slump

It’s no secret that the White Sox are slumping. Entering Monday’s series opener against the Guardians, the White Sox are 4-10 in their last 14 games and have seen their AL Central lead all but dissolve. At the forefront of the team’s struggles is an offense that’s hit under .200 over the past two weeks and a lineup full of young players that have all seemed to slump at the same time. Among the most prevalent hitters in the lineup that has struggled in recent days is first baseman Munetaka Murakami, and his relative absence from production has been a big part of the lineup’s struggles. 

Murakami, who the White Sox signed out of Japan this offseason amid contact concerns, has been a major presence in the team’s lineup all season long. Despite missing six weeks with a hamstring injury, Murakami enters Monday tied for the team lead with 31 home runs. He’s been the very definition of a three-true outcome player, and his 84 walks and 174 strikeouts would undoubtedly lead the team if not for his missed time. Despite hitting just .206, Murakami’s .813 OPS ranks only behind Miguel Vargas among qualified White Sox hitters. But over the past few weeks, his numbers have been in a free-fall. 

Munetaka Murakami's struggles have been brutal for the White Sox lineup

Murakami isn’t the only White Sox hitter struggling, but his slump has been one of the longer ones on the team and he’s an important contributor to not have in the lineup. Amid ongoing discussions about a contract extension, Murakami’s struggles may have the White Sox thinking twice about locking him up long term. For the season, he leads baseball in strikeout rate and whiff rate, but also is among the league leaders in walk rate, barrel percentage, and hard hit percentage. The profile is clear: when Murakami hits the baseball, he does a lot of damage. But he’s been hitting the baseball less over the past few weeks. 

Some of this may be due to pitchers simply adjusting as more film and data comes in. Early in his career, most pitchers had yet to see Murakami and weren’t certain of how to approach him, but some weaknesses may have been exposed in recent weeks. In addition, one Twitter user pointed out a potential difference in Murakami’s stance that could be causing him to miss pitches he was previously hitting. If that’s the case, it seems like something White Sox hitting coach Derek Shomon should be identifying and working on correcting. 

As the White Sox cling to life in the AL playoff picture, restoring Munetaka Murakami to his early-season form will be crucial toward getting the White Sox lineup back on track. They say hitting is contagious, and the same applies to slumps. If Munetaka Murakami resumes his place as a dangerous bat in the middle of the White Sox order, it’ll go a long way toward ensuring the White Sox can hold on to the AL Central and make it to the Postseason.

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