Chicago White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami appears to be making encouraging progress in his recovery, with the latest update suggesting his return to action could be drawing closer. The Japanese star was back in batting practice on Friday as he continues working his way back from a Grade 2 right hamstring strain.
White Sox manager Will Venable watched Murakami’s workout and shared a positive update on his rehabilitation, revealing that the infielder is currently running at around 85% while continuing to make steady progress. The session marked another step forward in Murakami’s recovery as he ramps up baseball activities.
•
The injury took place during the Chicago White Sox’s game in May, where the team won 4-3 vs. the Detroit Tigers. Murakami exited the game in the third inning with right hamstring tightness after beating out a fielder’s choice grounder to second.
“It’s really disappointing at this point of the season to be injured,” Munetaka Murakami said after the game. “But there are a lot of ways to contribute to the team, like cheering on and other stuff. I’ll keep doing that so that we can keep grinding as a team.”
Manager Will Venable said that “it’s tough” to see Munetaka exit with an injury, pointing to his “massive impact” on the group. Venable added that Munetaka was “pretty down” to sit back for four to six weeks due to the hamstring strain.
The White Sox signed the Japanese infielder to a 2-year, $34 million deal during the offseason. As of now, he has recorded 20 home runs and 41 RBIs while slashing .240/.378/.938 in 200 at-bats.
Munetaka Murakami sends clear message to doubters amid breakout season with White Sox
Chicago White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami, in an interview with The New York Times, acknowledged that he has faced plenty of skepticism throughout his journey to Major League Baseball. However, the slugger said he has never allowed outside opinions to distract him from his goals.
“Obviously, there are a lot of critics that say critical comments … that are really something I ignore. Because some people who do make critical comments, or have something to say against me, would be somebody who’s not really playing ball,” Munetaka Murakami said.
“I know who I am, and what kind of challenges I do face every single day. It’s just about proving to the doubters how much I can play in this league.”
When asked whether he ever considered returning to Japan amid skepticism, he simply replied with “No”. Murakami said one of his biggest goals coming to MLB was to improve the perception of NPB players and create more opportunities for future stars from Japan.
Edited by Shyam Kamal