White Sox Star Takes Time for Young Fans After Game

Exhausted after a home run, a win, and 15 minutes of post-game interviews, White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami had every reason to head straight to the showers. But when 5-year-old Jett Beckham and his 3-year-old brother Bode walked into the clubhouse with their dad, Murakami didn't hesitate.

He crouched down to their eye level, shared a few smiles, and gave them the high-fives they'd been waiting for all night. Their dad, former White Sox player Gordon Beckham, couldn't stop talking about it.

"He still took 2 or 3 minutes with my kids to make their night because they knew No. 5 hit a home run," Beckham told reporters. "It shows who he is."

Murakami is leading Major League Baseball with 13 home runs this season, but his teammates say his character stands out even more than his performance. The Japanese slugger organized a Thursday night sushi dinner in San Diego for about 10 teammates, introducing them to authentic omakase-style dining.

Some of the players had never tried it before. Pitcher Sean Burke laughed about watching Murakami eat an entire deep-fried shrimp, shell and all, while Burke couldn't manage more than one bite.

Sunny's Take

White Sox manager Will Venable sees this side of Murakami every day. "From day one, the teammate that he's been, the way he engages with his teammates, the leadership, in meetings, in the clubhouse, he's a special guy," Venable said.

Teammate Colson Montgomery noticed the impact on the field too. Having a power hitter like Murakami in the lineup takes pressure off everyone else, letting them focus on getting on base instead of trying to hit home runs themselves.

After both players homered following the sushi dinner, they celebrated with a special handshake they'd created that night. Montgomery joked there was "a little too much fish" for his taste, but appreciated Murakami bringing the team together.

The moments between at-bats reveal who someone really is. While Murakami's baseball skills will define his career statistics, his willingness to connect with young fans and bring teammates together is defining something bigger.