Dodgers Predicted to Pursue Another Japanese Phenom to Replace Max Muncy

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently attempting to repeat as World Series champions in the 2025 campaign. However, there will come a point in time when the season ends, and when that happens, they are expected to be busy upgrading their roster once again. According to a recent prediction, this could lead them to find Max Muncy‘s replacement in free agency.

Despite loading up again over the previous offseason, the Dodgers have seen their momentum get stunted by a slew of injuries. One guy who has fallen wayward to the injury bug is Muncy, and as he approaches the end of his career, that could lead Los Angeles to target another Japanese phenom who could come in and replace the veteran slugger.

Dodgers Predicted to Sign Munetaka Murakami in Free Agency

Muncy has been a key piece of the Dodgers’ recent run of success, as he emerged from out of nowhere to become one of the power-hitting third basemen in the league. Muncy earned a pair of All-Star selections in 2019 and 2021, while also helping Los Angeles win World Series championships in 2020 and 2024.

In 2025, Muncy has been solid, as he’s hitting .247 with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs, and just returned to the field on Monday after spending about a month on the injured list with a left leg injury. The Dodgers have a team option for Muncy after the season, so if they decide to move on from him, they are going to need a potential replacement for him.

The good news is that the perfect option may already exist, as star Japanese third baseman Munetaka Murakami is expected to be posted for MLB free agency this offseason. Given Los Angeles’ success in recruiting Japanese free agents to come play for them, they have been predicted to sign Murakami as Muncy’s replacement at the hot corner.

“Murakami has missed most of this season due to an arthroscopic surgery in his throwing elbow, but he mashed 223 home runs from 2019-24 and is still just 25 years old,” Kerry Miller wrote for Bleacher Report.

“The expectation remains that he will be posted this winter and will be a traditional free agent, able to immediately sign a major deal (a la Yoshinobu Yamamoto) as opposed to needing to go the Roki Sasaki route. (Prediction: Murakami signs a six-year deal with the Dodgers, becoming the heir apparent to Max Muncy at third base.)”

Should the Dodgers Sign Munetaka Murakami?

Murakami has been playing for the Yakult Swallows in the Japan Central League since 2018, and he’s turned himself into one of the top sluggers in the league. While he hasn’t played much in 2025, Murakami hit a career-high 56 home runs at the age of just 22, following that up with 31 and 33 home runs in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

The Dodgers have had a lot of success recruiting players from Japan in recent years, as Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki have all found their way to L.A. If Los Angeles is interested in Murakami, they’d have to be considered the frontrunner to sign him, which could spell the end of Muncy’s time with the team.