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Murakami’s Three-Game HR Start Ends as Okamoto Homers Again

Their fast starts hint at a shift in how MLB views Japanese infielders.

Overview

  • Munetaka Murakami opened his MLB career with home runs in three straight games, a feat done by only four players and the first by a Japanese player.
  • Murakami went 1-for-5 in his fourth game and did not homer, and the White Sox snapped a three-game skid with a 9–4 win over the Marlins.
  • Kazuma Okamoto hit his first MLB home run in the opening series and then went deep again in his next game for back-to-back homers.
  • Early signs point to well-rounded starts, with Murakami logging four walks in his first three games and Okamoto showing steady third-base defense and a .333 average in the opening set.
  • Both players said recent World Baseball Classic play helped them handle big-league pressure, and their success is fueling hopes that Japanese infielders will earn greater trust in MLB.