Munetaka Murakami's big bat gavels in White Sox spring training

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Hopes were as high as the moonshots launched toward the mountainous Arizona skyline by Munetaka Murakami Tuesday morning at Camelback Ranch.

It was White Sox pitchers and catchers who were officially reporting to spring training, but it was their new slugging first baseman whose bat made some of the biggest cracks on the backfields to ring in a new season that, for the first time in three years, actually carries some expectations.

Time will tell if Murakami’s world-class power will translate to Major League Baseball. But like all the other popping mitts and whizzing balls heralding the end of winter this week in Glendale, it’s just fun to watch.

“That's what he does. He's got a powerful stroke, certainly excited to get him going here, get him involved in the program, and watch him go and do his thing in games,” manager Will Venable said after overseeing his squad’s first official workouts of 2026. “I was able to connect with him — really personable guy, somebody that is gonna be a great guy in our clubhouse, gonna make an impact.”

That’s music to the ears of a young core of Sox players who saw the front office start making a few investments in hopes of turning a corner in the rebuild.

“When you're at home in the offseason, seeing that moves are being made and the team's improving and everything, it's very, very exciting,” right-hander Mike Vasil said.

They return this year with “certain guys that have gone to that highest point,” Vasil added, pointing to the signing of former Blue Jays reliever Seranthony Domínguez, who pitched in last season’s World Series.

“This is just a great unit, we all get along, we’re all friends, we all kept up this offseason,” starter Jonathan Cannon said. “I’m excited to see where it takes us this year.”

Cuban Missile’s comeback

Murakami and Domínguez are part of the Sox contingent leaving camp later this month to play for Japan and the Dominican Republic, respectively, in the World Baseball Classic later this month, along with Kyle Teel and Sam Antonacci for Italy and Curtis Mead for Australia.

That’s several potential foundational players for the Sox’ future — and they could meet up with a big part of the team’s past as 44-year-old Alexei Ramirez suits up for Cuba, more than a decade after he last played shortstop on the South Side.

“It was very clear, the love and the passion that he has for baseball, and that clearly has not gone away,” said general manager Chris Getz, who overlapped with Ramirez playing for the Sox in 2008 and ‘09. “He'll be a fun player to follow in this.”

Glovegate

Reliever Tyler Gilbert still wants his glove back.

Umpires confiscated it during the final week of last season when it felt too sticky during an appearance at Yankee Stadium. An MLB probe soon determined there was nothing illegal about the mixture of rosin and sweat built up in the left-hander’s mitt.

“I thought it was going to get shipped back to my house in California, but I never saw it,” Gilbert said.

He’s got a new glove broken in for camp, but he’d rather pick up with the one he used most en route to 51 innings of 3.88-ERA ball out of the Sox bullpen last year.

“Maybe I'll find out where it is this spring,” Gilbert said.