Chicago White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami endured a tough day at the plate on Sunday, striking out three times in four plate appearances through seven innings against the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field. The 26-year-old Japanese star went 0-for-3 with three whiffs, pushing his season strikeout total to 63—the highest in Major League Baseball.
Murakami, batting second and playing first base, made history on May 8 by homering in the first game of a series for the eighth consecutive time, setting a new MLB record. Now, as the White Sox open a three-game set with the Royals, he has a chance to extend that streak to nine straight series-opening home runs. He may still get another at-bat later in the contest.
Despite his recent strikeout struggles, Murakami remains a top candidate for Rookie of the Year, according to an MLB.com expert poll released earlier this week. The poll places him at No. 1 among first-year players.
