Why Munetaka Murakami Stands as the White Sox’s Ultimate X-Factor for Game Five Against Cleveland
· Yahoo Sports
The Chicago White Sox will travel to Ohio to face the Cleveland Guardians in the winner-take-all Game Five of the American League Division Series. It’s a game the White Sox need Munetaka Murakami’s power-hitting to send panic into the Guardians clubhouse.
The White Sox took a strong lead against their American League Central rivals after winning Games One and Two of the best-of-five series, but failed to capitalize on home advantage to sweep the Guardians. They lost Games Three and Four to Cleveland, failing to win a postseason series in front of their home crowd for the first time in 120 years. Now the momentum has switched to the Guardians, who have scored 18 runs in the last two games.
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However, all hope is not lost for the White Sox, even though they have left their fans hitting the panic button. The Guardians have shown their lapses in this division series and have cracked on multiple occasions, which the Sox have rarely taken advantage of. In Game Four, the South Siders forced eight walks from the Guardians’ pitchers but couldn’t land a big hit. And that’s why the team needs Murakami in Game Five more than ever. His light-tower power is one element that Cleveland would hope to completely bypass. Just one swing off a mistake pitch can flip the score and give the White Sox the momentum.
White Sox X-Factor: Munetaka Murakami
After Murakami hit a 440-foot two-run home run off Parker Messick in Game One and a single run off Gavin Williams in Game Two of the ALDS, he has somewhat gone quiet. He was far from his best in Game Three, where he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
On Thursday night, he went 1-for-3 and reached base three times. He sparked the White Sox brief rally in the bottom of the fifth inning with a single to the left, earning a brief 4-3 lead. Nonetheless, despite his improved discipline at the plate, the Sox left 12 runners stranded on base. Miguel Vargas and Murakami are the best hitters on the team, but the latter has more power velocity than the former.
Oct 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game one of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesIn the regular season, despite featuring a low overall batting average of 20.7% in the regular season, Murakami hard hit rate was beyond average 56.8% and his barrel rate 20.5%. Against Cleveland’s high-strikeout pitching staff, one hit can put them in panic mode. In the four games of the ALDS roster, White Sox manager Will Venable has kept Murakami after Vargas and Chase Meidroth. The tactical picture behind that is that if there are runners on base, a big contact hit from Murakami can help the team score multiple runs. In the regular season, Murakami recorded 35 home runs and 77 RBIs in 125 games as a rookie.
In the playoffs, the Japanese slugger has posted one home run, four RBIs, and a .250 BA. In a very important Game Five with Williams as the starting pitcher for the Guardians, Murakami’s power is the biggest factor. If he can set the tone early on Saturday with a blast, he can change the momentum of the series with one swing of the bat. Also, with his excellent chemistry with the team, a home run can spark the clubhouse with belief.
Sean Burke to Start in Game Five vs. The Guardians
The Chicago White Sox have announced Sean Burke as the starting pitcher for Game 5 on Saturday at Cleveland. Burke was rested in Games 3 and 4, having pitched 5.1 innings in Game 2, allowing just one run on one hit with a walk and six strikeouts as the White Sox won the game 4-3. In that game, Anthony Kay was the opener, and Sean Newcomb threw a pair of innings before Venable handed the ball to Burke.
Sean Burke gets the start 🫡 https://t.co/pTyJDhIhkB
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) October 9, 2026
This will be Burke’s second start this postseason, after starting Game Two of the Wild-Card series win over the Houston Astros, going four innings and allowing three runs with eight strikeouts. However, the White Sox won the game 7-3 with Meidroth hitting a three-run home run. His 2-0 record gives the White Sox a platform to build on after losing two consecutive games against the Guardians in the American League Division Series. Against the Guardians in 2026, Burke is 3-0, and he has struck out 27 hitters, while posting a 1.19 ERA.
The White Sox pitching staff allowed 17 walks in Games Three and Four, something they had not done this postseason. So, with the Sox using their best pitcher in Game Five, there’s a likelihood that he will pitch past four innings. In the regular season, Burke went 11-7 with a 3.34 ERA. Newcomb and Jordan Hicks will likely be the relievers Venable will call on when Burke is pulled.
Main Photo Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
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