Shohei Ohtani’s home run record has been broken

A new chapter is being written for Japanese stars in Major League Baseball, and it’s happening fast. White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has officially passed Shohei Ohtani for the most home runs by a Japanese-born player in their first 21 MLB games, setting a new benchmark with seven homers.

For context, Ohtani, now a global superstar with the Los Angeles Dodgers, hit five in his first 21 games as a hitter. Murakami didn’t just edge him; he cleared him.

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A Record-Breaking Start

Seven home runs in your first 21 games isn’t just impressive, it’s historic. Murakami now holds the record for the most home runs by a Japanese-born player through their first 21 MLB games. That put him ahead of every player who’s made the transition from Japan to the majors. That includes one of the greatest to ever do it.

If you thought he’d cool off after setting the record, think again. Murakami followed it up by launching his eighth home run on Sunday, continuing a scorching start that has quickly turned heads across the league.

Power, Consistency, and Early Dominance

This isn’t just about one stat; it’s about how he’s doing it. Murakami’s power has translated immediately to MLB pitching. His ability to string together home run streaks this early in his career is almost unheard of.

In fact, he’s already become just the second player since 1900 to record multiple home run streaks of three games or more within his first 22 career games. That’s elite company, especially this early.