Murakami (hamstring) should be in lineup Friday

Murakami has gone 2-for-7 in a pair of rehab contests since kicking off a rehab assignment earlier this week. He figures to make it back to Chicago’s lineup at some point later this week. He’s been out with a hamstring strain since late May.

Murakami singled in his first at-bat before striking out twice in his rehab debut. The 26-year-old first baseman will probably require a couple additional contests to knock off the rust from an extended layoff before he returns to Chicago’s lineup later this week. He’s been out with a hamstring strain since late May.

Murakami will kick off a rehab stint with Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday with the goal of returning to Chicago prior to next week’s All-Star break. The 26-year-old rookie slugger should only require a handful of minor-league tune-up contests to get back up to speed. He’s been out with a hamstring strain since late May. Fantasy managers should plan to have Murakami back in the mix by the end of the week and he should be a full-go coming out of the Midsummer Classic.

Venable didn’t offer an exact timeline for Murakami to kick off a rehab assignment, adding that he’ll need to run the bases before he’s officially cleared. The original expectation was that he would miss 4-6 weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain back in late May. The fact that he’s progressed to on-field hitting means he’s getting close to game action again. There should be a definitive update on his status in the coming days. Fantasy managers should anticipate Murakami making it back to Chicago sometime around this month’s All-Star break.

Venable also said that the first baseman would get into rehab games as soon as he felt 100 percent. We may be another couple of weeks away from that, which means there is a chance Murakami is playing rehab games by July and could return just before the All-Star break.

Murakami is expected to miss at least 4-6 weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain over the weekend. The 26-year-old slugger will be on the shelf until at least late June. The hope is that the PRP injection will expedite the healing process. There should be a clearer return estimate once he’s cleared to ramp up baseball activities in a couple weeks.

It’s a significant hit for Chicago and fantasy managers as Murakami will remain on the shelf until at least late June, even in a best-case scenario. There’s a chance he’s out until around the All-Star break in mid-July. The 26-year-old power-hitter was putting together a phenomenal rookie campaign, slashing .240/.378/.560 with 43 runs scored, 20 homers, 41 RBI and one stolen base across 246 plate appearances through 57 games. There are some lingering contact concerns in his profile, but he’s looked like an over-the-fence power threat so far. There should be a clearer return timetable once he’s cleared to begin ramping up baseball activities. It’ll be Miguel Vargas moving over to cover first base with breakout prospect Jacob Gonzalez getting a chance with the White Sox in a multi-position role.

White Sox manager Will Venable said Murakami is likely facing a multi-week absence. The 26-year-old rookie sensation will undergo an MRI this weekend to determine the severity of the injury. He’s been an unexpected revelation in his Chicago debut, slashing .240/.378/.560 with 43 runs scored, 20 homers, 41 RBI and one stolen base across 246 plate appearances through 57 games. There’s almost no precedent in the Statcast era for a hitter combining a near-60 percent hard-hit rate and elite over-the-fence power while also striking out at a clip north of 32 percent. Even so, Murakami hasn’t looked overmatched in his stateside debut and should remain an upper-echelon fantasy contributor if his contact skills hold at a passable level. A more definitive timetable for his return should emerge later this weekend.

Venable added that Murakami will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, but he’s facing a multi-week absence, even in a best-case scenario. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports the White Sox are calling up infielder Jacob Gonzalez from Triple-A Charlotte to take his roster spot. The unheralded 24-year-old has torn the cover off the ball this season, hitting .308/.414/.646 with 18 homers and six steals in 51 games on the doorstep of the majors.

Murakami hustled to beat out a fielder’s choice in the third inning and came up grabbing at his right hamstring. He’ll head for further evaluation. Expect the White Sox to provide an update on his status as soon as more information becomes available.