AL WILD CARD SERIES: WHITE SOX VS ASTROS

September 28, 2026

Munetaka Murakami

Daikin Park

Chicago White Sox

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. I think some of us were there when you signed in late December with the White Sox, and a lot of the talk was about just showing people in the Majors how good you could be and how you could play. We weren't sure what this team could do. What did you think this team could do, and how did they pitch you as far as, like, how you could help team success immediately?

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI: So I signed in December, came here to win, and I knew that this was going done a winning team obviously. Obviously I don't really know what kind of team atmosphere was the last two years when we did lose 100 games, but obviously I'm right here at this moment in time, so this is our culture. It's a winning culture, as you can see, and that's how we have been proceeding throughout the years. This is not the end, as I said. This is just the start of our, let's say, postseason run.

So, like I said, this is how I felt and how I'm feeling right now.

Q. When you were growing up back home, did you watch the MLB Playoffs? And if so, did you imagine yourself to be here? Now that you are, how exciting is it to have that chance, especially in your first season?

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI: Yeah, when I was in Japan, I watched the World Series. Not the whole postseason.

But right now as I'm here inside of postseason in October, I feel really excited. It's just a feeling that I always dreamed about, so I'm just truly excited to be here and really happy to be here.

Q. How do you feel your experience in Japan in the postseason, also the Olympics, World Baseball Classic, has helped prepare you for your you MLB playoff debut?

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI: The eight years of my Japanese career I have experienced so much, so obviously this experience that I had in Japan will come into play when I get into this postseason run here in the majors. I hope it really helps my game of this postseason.

Q. The last time you were here in Houston about a month ago you were going through some struggles, and the results have been there for you the last couple of weeks. Hitting coach has talked about showing you video when you were at your best. How have they kind of helped you getting back to what's kind of been your standard over these last couple of weeks?

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI: Yeah, tomorrow, like I say, it's a start for a new beginning again. Big, long postseason run. Especially into October. I'll do whatever I can 100% of my full potential and ability so that I can, you know, show what I have under me.

Yes, they've been talking about that, but it's a new start. I'm going to do whatever it takes to help the team win, and that's what I'm going to do.

Q. How many people will be watching in Japan?

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI: You guys know if there's going to be a broadcast in Japan? Yes?

Then if there's a broadcast, I hope a lot of people in Japan would be watching me, yeah.

Q. Mune, Miguel was just in here talking, and he referred to you as one of his best friends on the team and how much a pleasure it's been working with you this year. Can you talk about just the bond that you and Miguel have formed really from the start of Spring Training when you arrived?

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI: Yeah, we trust each other. We have a lot of respect to each other. We talk to each other even in the ups and downs. So I'm really happy to have him, and like he said, I'm his best friend too.

Q. English isn't either of your first language. What about Miguel has made him an easy person to connect to even with a...

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI: As an individual who has English as a second language, I think he understands what I'm going through at the moment, so it's really easy I think for him to understand what I'm going through and for me as what he went through. So it's kind of very, let's say, there's a mutual, let's say, understanding in the language aspect of it, and I'm really kind of -- that's where I can get really close with him in the mindset and how we approach language.

Q. The White Sox have a pretty young kind of lively clubhouse, a lot of fun you guys seem to have in there. How does that compare and contrast with what it was like in Japan and with the World Baseball Classic, those clubhouses, and how did those guys -- how did that help you adapt to this new team, new league, new country?

MUNETAKA MURAKAMI: To be honest, I don't really see much of a difference of all the teams that I ever been. I think when we're winning, the atmosphere, environment in the locker room is always, let's say, great. Obviously when we're losing, it's always kind of dark and bad.

I think baseball in terms of that, it's always about winning, losing, and there's a result at the end. That's not something that differs. I mean, if you're in Japan or United States or wherever, if you're in WBC, Olympics, doesn't matter. The results is what matters.

I think each and every, let's say, team that I ever had was always aiming to win, and that's how I was doing as a baseball player. The teams that I've ever been in, it's not much of a difference. It's more of the approach to baseball that I feel that are the same and universal.