Munetaka Murakami just made the holidays a little brighter for Chicago. Soon after signing with the White Sox on a two-year, $34 million contract, the Japanese slugger made his first act of community engagement.

According to the White Sox, Munetaka Murakami will be donating $100 grocery gift certificates to 100 Chicago families served by the St. James Food Pantry. The idea is to help those facing food insecurity enjoy warmer and fuller holiday gatherings.

This 5-figure selfless gesture from the four-time NPB star came only a day after he agreed to wear No. 5 for the White Sox. This appears to be the 25-year-old’s first widely reported philanthropic gesture: certainly the best way to begin his MLB journey. As Scott Merkin shared the update on X, fans got emotional, with some calling him “a White Sox legend” while others showed “love” because of his “impact.”

While his character is already making a positive impression, the White Sox are betting that his on-field performance will be just as impactful.

Murakami’s posting period began on November 7. All 30 MLB teams had a 45-day window to negotiate with the Kumamoto native until he signed before the 5 p.m. deadline this Sunday.

Predicting how his game will translate to the Majors is far from simple, but the lefty slugger is undoubtedly a huge boost for the Sox.

This past season, Murakami was more than twice as productive as any average NPB hitter. He posted a 208 wRC+ that reflected the dominance of his 2022 season. He thrived at crushing fly balls and showcased significant pull power. It was pretty much like how many MLB sluggers, such as Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber, get their home runs.

The Japanese slugger is a feared bat at the plate, and his elite power helps him draw tons of walks.

Murakami was limited to only 56 games this season due to an oblique injury. However, when he made a comeback, he slammed 22 home runs in those 56 games. That was an even more impressive pace than the 56 homers he hit across 141 games during his terrific 2022 season.

Seen through that lens, the White Sox’s big leap for the slugger starts to make a lot of sense.

Breaking down how Munetaka Murakami fits with the White Sox

Munetaka Murakami fits incredibly with the White Sox’s growing core of young position players. That group includes Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery, and Chase Meidroth. If the Japanese slugger shows he can hit major-league-level pitching, it would be a win for both him and the organization.

In that scenario, the White Sox could even look to trade Murakami. Let’s say, possibly as early as this July, giving contending clubs a chance to add a legitimate power bat at a considerably lower financial commitment.

Munetaka Murakami is set to become a free agent after the 2027 season. That year, he’d be only 27 years old. Over the upcoming seasons, if he performs the way he’s expected to, he’d easily put himself in a much stronger position to land the kind of contract many thought he would get this offseason.

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In fact, MLB Trade Rumors ranked him as the No. 4 free agent available. They projected he’d land an eight-year, $180 million contract. But we all saw what happened eventually.

Only a few teams were linked to the slugger over the course of his posting window.

Per MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox briefly explored Murakami’s availability. But once his signing was announced on Sunday with the last-place club, the Red Sox almost instantly shifted focus. They strengthened their offense by trading for first baseman Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals.

But no matter what, all attention will now remain on the Japanese-Aaron Judge’s MLB journey.