Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami on Tuesday, December 12th.Signed a contract worth 4.14 million USD (approximately 600 million yen). This amount also includes incentives for 2024. His annual salary is said to be among the highest in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
The 23-year-old is in the second year of his current three-year contract. Despite Murakami's number of appearances decreasing from last year, his amount has remained stable since last year.
The Swallows committed Murakami to MLB after the 2025 season. At that time, he will be old enough to negotiate as an international free agent.
The ultimate MVP
Murakami on December 15, 2021Honored as Central League MVP, becoming the youngest MVP winner.
The following year, Murakami held the NPB record for most home runs in a season with 56 home runs. This is the second-best record behind former Swallow pitcher Vladimir Valentien, who hit 60 home runs in the 2013 season.
Murakami finished the season with a batting average of .318 and 134 RBI (runs batted in). As a result, he became the youngest NPB Triple Crown winner at the age of 22 in the final season of the Central League in October 2022. He broke the record of being the youngest to win the Triple Crown at the age of 28, set by Hiromitsu Ochiai in 1982.
Professional baseball writers cast 299 votes to make him the frontrunner for the 2022 MVP award, making him the second time he has won the award.
2023 WBC performance
Murakami led Samurai Japan to the finals of the World Baseball Classic. In the match against Mexico on March 20, 2023, he won 6-5 and led Japan to the finals against the United States.
In the semifinals at Miami's Lawn Depot Park, Murakami had no home runs and eight strikeouts. Murakami then made contact with a 1-1 fastball from Mexican reliever Giovani Gallegos, and the ball flew 400 feet off the left-center wall. With this hit, Shohei Otani and pinch runner Ukyo Shuto survived.
The finals are, Japan defeated the United States 3-1. In the game, Trea Turner of the United States hit a home run to take a 1-0 lead. However, Murakami hit a solo home run, tying the score at 1-1.
Japan won the 2023 WBC with a 3-2 lead over the United States at the same stadium. With this victory, Japan remained undefeated in the WBC and became their third WBC title after winning in 2006 and 2009.
Murakami's success in baseball highlighted the talent of the younger generation. Similarly, other sports in Japan, such as boat racing andKyoteiHowever, there are many talented young players like Murakami who are active.
Young boat racers
Kyotei is a famous boat race in Japan and is also one of the legal sports for gambling. Boat races are regulated by the Central Federation, so the courses and races are the same at all venues. Each race usually has six competitors, with the winner being the first one to finish after completing three laps around the buoy.
The season typically begins in January and continues until the end of the year, concluding with the Grand Prix. This year, the Japan Motor Boat Racing Association selected 58 athletes as star candidates for 2023.
Additionally, 10 top rookies will be selected, and the young racers will attend seminars and receive special training in driving and maintenance. The purpose is to develop star racers who will lead the next generation of boat racing.
One of these up-and-coming racers is Kazuya Suenaga. The 24-year-old racer representing the Saga branch has won numerous championships. In 2022, he was named Best New Racer. In February 2023, he won his first G1 victory at the 69th Kyushu District Championship Race. He continued to perform well after that, winning the 11th Sapporo Beer Cup in September of this year and the 22nd round of the JLC Cup Rookie Series in November.
Following Suenaga,Kanta SasakiIn May 2022, it won the 26th Motorboat Birthday Festival to commemorate the birth of G2, and suddenly came into the spotlight.
This year, the 29-year-old racer has already won first place in three tournaments: the Nippon Foundation Chairman's Cup, the Nikkan Sports Cup, and the 23rd round of the JLC Cup Rookie Series.
