On paper, Murakami checks every box the Mariners supposedly need. In practice, his risk profile clashes badly.
On the surface, it’s the kind of national headline Seattle Mariners fans have learned to expect every winter. An insider looks at the free agent board, scans the teams with obvious needs, remembers that Seattle has a long history with Japanese stars, and draws a straight line: Munetaka Murakami plus Mariners equals “perfect fit.”
That is the gist of Mark Feinsand’s recent piece on MLB.