Read the full story on SportsLook - [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Munetaka Murakami Achieves a Big Career Milestone
Munetaka Murakami was the youngest NPB player to win the Triple Crown. He achieved that rare feat in 2022 at age 22 with Central League-leading totals of 56 home runs, 134 RBIs and a .318 batting average.
Now, at the ripe old age of 24 years and 3 months, Murakami has established another career benchmark.
With a mighty swing of his bat with two outs and nobody on base, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows third baseman crushed a homer over the right-center field fence in the eighth inning off Hiroshima Carp reliever Takuya Yasaki on Wednesday, May 15 in the Swallows' 2-0 victory.
It was Murakami's 200th career home run.
Murakami reached that milestone faster than any player in NPB history. He rewrote the previous record set by former Seibu Lions standout Kazuhiro Kiyohara (24 years and 10 months) in 1992.
After the game at Matsuyama Botchan Stadium in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Murakami commented on breaking Kiyohara's record.
"It's just a passing mark, I want to do my best to hit more. ," Murakami was quoted as saying by NHK.
He also talked about the significance of Matsuyama in his career.
"I trained a lot in Matsuyama in my first year as a pro [during the offseason], and here is where it all began," Murakami said, according to Kyodo News.
He added, "I'm really happy to hit the milestone home run at such a place."
By the Numbers: Munetaka Murakami in 2024
Murakami leads the Central League with 10 homers entering Sunday's games. He's batting .259 with 20 RBIs. And he also has a .496 slugging percentage.
In 2023, he had 31 homers, 84 RBIs and a .256 average while finishing with a .500 slugging percentage.
After striking out 168 times in 497 at-bats last season, Murakami is once again prone to getting whiffed in 2024. He had 46 strikeouts in 135 at-bats heading into Sunday, May 19's game against the Hanshin Tigers. But he's also walked 36 times in 39 games, a reminder that pitchers are always aware of his power-hitting ability.
Murakami is expected to leave the Swallows after the 2025 NPB season and continue his career with a Major League Baseball team.
Continue reading the full story, which includes additional baseball coverage and news items on soccer, volleyball, golf and more, on SportsLook.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
