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2 months ago
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ARTICLE AD BOX
The 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) offseason gained significant momentum with the official posting of Munetaka Murakami by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Announced on November 7, 2025, this move positions the 25-year-old infielder as one of the premier international talents available, drawing immediate interest from all 30 MLB franchises. Murakami's combination of proven power production and youth makes him a key acquisition target in a market increasingly reliant on global talent pipelines.
Posting timeline and financial structure
MLB teams were formally notified of Murakami's availability on Friday, with his exclusive negotiating period commencing at 8:00 AM ET on Saturday. The window extends 45 days, closing at 5:00 PM ET on December 22. Should no agreement be reached, Murakami returns to the Swallows without penalty.
The posting system imposes a release fee on the signing club, calculated as follows: 20% on the first $25 million of the contract value, 17.5% on the next $25 million, and 15% on any amount exceeding $50 million. Industry projections suggest Murakami commands a nine-figure guarantee, yielding Yakult a minimum fee of approximately $16.9 million.
Preparations for this transition began over a year ago. Reports from December 2023 indicated 2025 as Murakami's final NPB season, corroborated by Swallows president Tetsuya Hayashida, who stated in June to Japanese outlets that the organization was “willing” to post the two-time Central League MVP and four-time All-Star.
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