White Sox place AL home run leader Murakami on IL

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami is expected to miss four to six weeks with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain.

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Manager Will Venable shared details on Murakami’s injury and a revised timeline for the first baseman’s absence from Chicago’s lineup after the White Sox placed him on the 10-day injured list before Saturday’s game with Detroit. The 26-year-old Murakami, who entered the day tied for the AL lead in home runs with 20, underwent imaging revealing the severity of his condition.

Following Friday’s 4-3 win over Detroit in 10 innings, Venable told reporters he thought Murakami might miss “a couple of weeks” after he got hurt beating out a double play in the third inning.

“It’s tough, obviously,” Venable said Saturday. “He makes a massive impact on our group, on and off the field.

“He’s probably pretty down right now, knowing that’s going to take a different form here over the next few weeks,” Venable added. “This is what every single team deals with and you’ve got to try to find ways to continue to put plays together and play well and play good baseball.”

Murakami is hitting .240 with four doubles, 41 RBIs, 44 walks, 43 runs scored and a .938 OPS over 57 games with the White Sox this season, his first in the major leagues. He’s been a huge addition for the resurgent White Sox, who signed the Japanese star to a two-year, $34 million contract in December.

Coming off three straight seasons with 101 or more losses, the White Sox entered Saturday at 30-27 and three games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 21, 2022.

In a corresponding move Saturday, the White Sox selected the contract of infielder Jacob Gonzalez from Triple-A Charlotte.

Murakami grabbed the back of his right thigh after beating a throw to first when he hit into a fielder’s choice in the third inning on Friday. Luisangel Acuña came in to pinch run for him.

Murakami said through an interpreter on Saturday the injury still hurt. He said he first felt it about halfway to first base on Friday following his second at-bat.

“My goal was to to (play) the full season healthy, but that really didn’t come out well,” Murakami said. “But after this injury, I will recover fully, 100%, and give them all each and every day. I’m not going to be adjusting anything after the injury or nothing like that.”

Murakami entered Saturday tied with Houston’s Yordan Alvarez for second place in the majors in homers. Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber leads the majors with 22.

Gonzalez, who turns 24 on Saturday, is rated by MLB.com and Baseball America as the No. 23 prospect in the White Sox organization. He is hitting .317 with 11 doubles, one triple, 19 home runs, 62 RBIs, 33 walks, 42 runs scored and a 1.087 OPS over 52 games with Charlotte.

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