Munetaka Murakami had a booming spring training debut with the White Sox on Friday — but traffic almost blocked it from happening.
Around 30 minutes before the first pitch of the White Sox’s 8-1 Cactus League win over the Cubs, the team announced that Murakami was a healthy scratch due to the Japanese slugger being stuck in a traffic jam.
Just moments later, however, Murakami was back in Chicago’s starting lineup.
“Oh my god!” Murakami said in English, per MLB.com.
“I was so concerned if I could make it on time,” he continued through interpreter Kenzo Yagi. “There was a big accident on the highway, and I was just concerned the whole time. I was actually in the car until 12:50 [p.m., 15 minutes before first pitch].”
Although not being fully prepared for the game, Murakami showed why the White Sox signed him this offseason.
In his second at-bat, the first baseman blasted a single to center with a 108.3 mph exit velocity, according to Statcast.
For his next at-bat, Murakami launched a two-run double to center field after Cubs outfielder — and fellow World Baseball Classic Team Japan teammate — Seiya Suzuki lost the ball in the sun.
After the game, Suzuki jokingly told reporters that he is not supporting Murakami following his fly ball.
“After the pop-up, I hate him. So I’m not going to support him,” Suzuki told reporters through an interpreter before adding, “I’m just kidding.”
White Sox manager Will Venable praised Murakami’s “adaptability and flexibility” to the MLB ahead of his first season in the United States.
“You’ve got to give Mune a lot of credit,” Venable said. “This guy is so committed and such a professional. We’ve asked him to do some things that he hasn’t necessarily been accustomed to, and how he prepares and his adaptability and flexibility to do those things has been awesome.”
The White Sox signed Murakami to a two-year deal worth $34 million in December after he received interest from several MLB teams.