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Coming into the 2026 season, there was not a whole lot of hope for the Chicago White Sox. They are still in the middle of the rebuild, but a major offseason move has the front office looking like geniuses.
They came to terms with Munetaka Murakami on a two-year deal, and the rest of the MLB has to be kicking themselves. He has been absolutely nuclear with the bat in his hands this season.
Across 54 games so far, he has hit .234/.370/.547 with an AL-leading 19 home runs and 39 runs batted in. He has helped this team sit in second place in the AL Central with their 27-27 record.
MORE: White Sox predicted to snap embarrassing All-Star game streak in 2026
Munetaka Murakami is not the only White Sox player shining this season
However, Murakami is not the only player who is helping the White Sox achieve success. Miguel Vargas has also done some damage at the plate this season.
Across 53 games, he has hit .233/.361/.476 with 12 home runs and 31 runs batted in. Just four more home runs and he ties his career high of 16 home runs that he hit last season.
It's pretty obvious who the team's MVP is at this point of the season, but Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer argues Vargas has done enough to be in the conversation.
"Miguel Vargas actually leads White Sox hitters in rWAR, but come on. Murakami has the 155 OPS+ and the AL-high 19 home runs supporting the Pale Hose MVP credentials. As so much of this team's identity comes from the long ball, it's fair to say they're following his lead."
If Vargas and Murakami can keep this up, they can keep the White Sox in playoff contention throughout the year. Now, if the pitching could get a little better, this would be a team that could be quite formidable.
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