Munetaka Murakami’s quiet trip through free agency, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ scramble to fix their infield and bullpen, and the retirement of former Giants infielder Jae-gyun Hwang might seem like separate storylines.
But really, they show how MLB front offices are juggling risk, chasing upside, and watching their payrolls in a market that’s shifting for power bats and late-inning arms.
Munetaka Murakami’s Surprising Free Agency and Why Arizona Passed
Heading into the offseason, Munetaka Murakami looked like one of the most intriguing bats out there. He’s a left-handed slugger with power that usually sparks a bidding war.
Instead, teams backed off, and he wound up settling for a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. That’s a far cry from what people expected for a guy with his resume.
The Arizona Diamondbacks checked in on Murakami. Their interest made sense—on paper, at least.
After a deadline sell-off that sent Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez packing, Arizona had a big hole at the corners, especially at first base. Even so, the D-backs watched as Murakami signed elsewhere.
Diamondbacks’ Corner Infield Picture After Murakami
Without Murakami, Arizona’s internal options are a mix of stopgaps and question marks. Right now, Pavin Smith and Tim Tawa headline the first-base mix.
Tyler Locklear is still out after elbow and shoulder surgeries. That’s not exactly a dream depth chart for a team hoping to contend.
Last season, the Diamondbacks ranked fifth-worst in MLB in OPS at first base. That’s a glaring weakness on a roster that otherwise has a shot.
Even with top prospect Jordan Lawlar projected to slide to third base by 2026, Arizona can’t wait two full years for reliable corner production. They need a right-handed bat to pair with what they’ve got—or maybe just a real upgrade.
For a front office that flirted with Murakami, not pushing harder probably reflects two things: they’re worried about how his game translates right away to MLB, and they want to keep some flexibility for a better roster fit later on.
Arizona’s Bullpen in Crisis: Closer Market Comes Into Focus
If the infield questions are pressing, the bullpen situation feels almost desperate. The Diamondbacks’ relief corps struggled badly in 2025.
Injuries have only made things worse heading into the new year. Arizona lost both Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk to Tommy John surgery.
That took away two of their most logical in-house closing options. So now the front office is scanning the market for stability in the ninth inning.
Brutal 2025 Metrics and a Revolving Door of Closers
The advanced stats paint a pretty ugly picture for Arizona’s bullpen:
That’s a team with no real closer and no late-inning structure. In a division where you face the Dodgers, Padres, and Giants in tight games, that’s just not going to cut it.
Arizona looks ready to explore the short-term closer market. They need a bridge until Martinez and Puk get healthy again.
Possible targets? Here are a few:
None of these guys is a long-term answer, and honestly, that’s fine. Arizona just needs someone competent and predictable enough to avoid another year of bullpen chaos.
Jae-gyun Hwang’s Retirement Caps an 18-Year Pro Career
Elsewhere in the NL West, a familiar name quietly wrapped up a long pro journey. Former Giants infielder Jae-gyun Hwang announced his retirement, ending an 18-year career that spanned MLB and the KBO.
Hwang’s time in the majors was short. He joined the San Francisco Giants in 2017 and saw limited action.
He couldn’t turn his solid Triple-A production into lasting big-league success. Still, his story’s a lot bigger than just a few weeks in the majors.
Hwang’s Legacy in Korea and Beyond
Hwang did his best work in Korea with the KT Wiz. He stayed a productive hitter deep into his late 30s.
His career reminds me that the gap between “MLB regular” and “international star” is sometimes razor-thin. Opportunity, timing, and those ever-changing organizational depth charts can matter just as much as raw talent—maybe more, honestly.
As Murakami tries to bring his own game to MLB, and the Diamondbacks keep searching the world for impact bats, Hwang’s journey lingers in the background. It’s a little bit of a cautionary tale, sure, but also pretty inspiring.
Success for professional hitters? It can look wildly different, depending on which side of the Pacific you’re standing on.
Here is the source article for this story: NL West Notes: Murakami, Hwang, Closers
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