ESPN insider has surprising offseason move to get the Rangers back on top

As the Texas Rangers prep to do whatever they can to improve upon their mediocre 2025 season, free agent rumors and predictions are flying all over the place, including from one of top MLB insiders, ESPN's Jeff Passan.

According to Passan, the perfect move for the Texas Rangers is to go international for what they seek and sign the Japanese active homer run leader Munetaka Murakami of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Murakami would be exactly what the Rangers need to improve an inconsistent offense

At just 25, Murakami is nicknamed "Murakami-sama," bestowed upon him by Japanese fans because his feats at the plate could only be done by a kami-sama, or “god.” His nickname was Japan's 2022 word of the year.

What that would mean for the Rangers is he could fill the void the team is facing at the two corner infield spots and move Jake Burger to a more permanent DH role. More importantly, it would add a massive, left-handed power bat in the middle of the lineup that the Rangers desperately lack, particularly when Corey Seager would be on the injured list.

Munetaka Murakami is creating Shohei Ohtani-like buzz as he is set to come to the States

Can Murakami be another Shohei Ohtani? That is asking a lot, considering that Ohtani is arguably the most accomplished and talented player baseball has seen this century (some might argue Aaron Judge). He doesn't pitch like Ohtani but if he can be close to what the two-way Dodger superstar has been thus far, the Rangers would be getting a piece they desperately need.

Listed at six-foot-two and 213 pounds, Munetaka is creating some sensational buzz as he prepares to transition from Japan to the United States and Major League Baseball.

In seven professional seasons in the Nippon League, he has belted 265 home runs, including a single-season mark of 56 in 2022, in which he also hit .318 and claimed the NPR triple crown with an 1.168 OPS.

To be clear, this is Passan's "perfect signing" for the Rangers. As of now, there is nothing linking the Japanese star to Arlington, but it sure does bring a smile to Ranger' fans thinking about it

The organization does have a history of signing or drawing buzz of Japanese players, including Yu Darvish and generating a fair amount of buzz when Ohtani was a free agent and Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were moving to MLB.

Texas has also close to $7 million available in their international slot money that they could add to a potential contract. When you also consider the lack of a state income tax in Texas, the Rangers become an even more attractive destination.