Free Agency is in full swing for Major League Baseball. The Washington Nationals have made a few signings, but no multi-year deals. The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Ryan O'Hearn to a 2-year contract, making the Nationals the last team not to have signed a free agent to a multi-year contract since 2020. That player was reliever Will Harris, and Nationals fans know how that played out.
The only other multi-year deal Washington's ownership has approved was Keibert Ruiz's contract, and that one isn't looking too great either. The bad momentum in free agency for Washington needs to be put to rest. There was a clear opportunity for the Nats to fill a hole in their lineup, and they missed it. The Chicago White Sox signed Munetaka Murakami to a 2-year $34 million deal. While that number is steep, Washington should've signed him for a few reasons.
The first reason Washington should've signed Murakami is that they need power hitters. Murakami has hit at least 28 home runs in six of his eight professional seasons in Japan. In eight seasons, he has batting splits of .273/.394/.945. At just 25-years-old, Murakami has the chance to become a prominent hitter in the Major Leagues. One of the knocks on Munetaka's game has been his defense, but he has a career .994 fielding percentage at first base, which is likely where he'll play.
If he were in a Nats uniform, he'd undoubtedly be playing first base in 2026. Reports around the Nats are that Luis Garcia Jr. will be attempting to switch to first base, which is a last-resort idea for his career. If the Nats had a competent first baseman, I don't believe Garcia Jr. would be making the switch. Murakami would fit in the Nats' current roster at first base much better than Garcia, in my opinion.
The second reason is the attention that comes with Murakami. On X, the Chicago White Sox have exploded in popularity since the signing of the popular Japanese player. Before the signing, the White Sox generated 4.1 million impressions on X. Since the trade, they've upped that number to 15.9 million. The White Sox will easily make a profit on this signing. A foreign player of Murakami's stature essentially brings an entire country of support. The Nats have been in the headlines for gathering one of the youngest coaching staffs in the history of the Major Leagues. They could be dominating the headlines if they signed Murakami.
The Washington Nationals should've signed Munetaka Murakami, plain and simple. There's a chance he doesn't translate his power to the Major Leagues; that's very obvious. He could also develop into a solid hitter for the White Sox. What's the worst thing that could've happened if the Nats signed Murakami? He doesn't translate his power to the big leagues and doesn't resign after the 2027 season. Revenue generated from the signing would be helpful to the Nats. The business side of the Murakami signing is such a no-brainer, and I can't believe the Nats didn't take that opportunity.