White Sox Announce Munetaka Murakami News After Leaving Tigers Game

The Chicago White Sox have been one of baseball's biggest surprises through the first two months of the 2026 season, and much of that has been driven by Munetaka Murakami.

Signed to a two-year, $34 million contract after being posted from the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the offseason, Murakami has quickly established himself as one of the most productive hitters in the American League. The 26-year-old entered Friday leading the AL with 20 home runs while carrying a .947 OPS, helping push Chicago to a 29-27 record and back into relevance in the AL Central race.

But Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers brought a major scare.

In the third inning, Murakami appeared to grab at his right hamstring while running out of the batter's box before slowing down noticeably. He exited the game shortly afterward, with the White Sox later announcing right hamstring tightness as the reason for his removal.

The setback is a major concern for the White Sox considering what Murakami has become to Chicago's lineup. He hit 12 home runs before the end of May, the most ever by an MLB rookie during that span, and has consistently carried the middle of the order throughout the season. Any prolonged absence would be a significant blow to the team.

Munetaka Murakami left tonight's game with right hamstring tightness. He is undergoing further evaluation.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 30, 2026

The severity of the injury remains unclear. Hamstring tightness can sometimes be resolved quickly with rest and treatment, though the White Sox are expected to evaluate him further before providing a more detailed update.

Chicago continues its home series against Detroit on Saturday before a six-game road trip against the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies.

Related: MLB Makes Announcement on Munetaka Murakami

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 5:46 PM.