For months, maybe even years, the New York Yankees and Mets have been lurking in the background of one of baseball’s most intriguing international stories. Now, it’s finally real. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Japanese star Munetaka Murakami will be posted by the Yakult Swallows on Friday, beginning the 45-day window that allows Major League Baseball teams to negotiate with him. The wait is over, and the chase for one of Japan’s most prolific sluggers has begun.

A Powerhouse Ready for the Big Stage

Murakami, 25, isn’t just another name coming from Nippon Professional Baseball — he’s one of the most accomplished hitters to leave the league in recent memory. Across eight seasons, he’s launched 246 home runs, including a staggering 56 in 2022 that broke NPB records and cemented his place

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