Munetaka Murakami's Bidet Bobbleheads Resell for $100+

When Murakami signed with the White Sox on a two-year, $34 million deal, he made one unusual request during negotiations: bidets for the home clubhouse.

He explained why through his interpreter earlier this year, telling reporters, “I use the bathroom a lot. I don’t want to deal with a stomachache and not feel like playing, so I’d rather get that taken care of and feel good.” The Sox obliged, installing TOTO WASHLET S7A bidet seats throughout the clubhouse, and the story quickly became a meme as Murakami endeared himself to fans in Chicago.

That relationship grew into TOTO’s first Major League Baseball sponsorship, and on Sunday it culminated in Munetaka Murakami “First Major League Home Run” Bobblehead Day at Rate Field. TOTO backed the giveaway as presenting sponsor and set up a Mobile Showroom at Gate 5, letting fans walk through interactive product demos before first pitch.

The first 15,000 fans through the gates walked away with a bobblehead depicting Murakami mid-swing, TOTO branding included. Murakami made sure the day lived up to the hype with an opposite-field two-run homer in the first inning, his first since coming off the injured list.

With a game-day storyline that good and a production run capped at 15,000, it did not take long for the bobblehead to show up on the secondary market. Listings are already moving in the $80 to $120 range, a strong return for anyone who grabbed a ticket, walked through the gate, and picked one up for free.

Milestone bobbleheads tend to hold value better than generic giveaways, and this one checks several boxes at once. It commemorates Murakami’s first MLB homer, it carries an oddball corporate tie-in that made national headlines, and Murakami delivered exactly the kind of performance that keeps a player’s collectibles relevant. Overlap between White Sox collectors and Japanese baseball fans only adds to demand.

Consider this your sign to embrace the bidet. While they’re a common sight in civilized countries like Japan, Americans are strangely resistant to the idea of proper anal hygiene. Not only will you save money on toilet paper, wet wipes, and plumbers’ bills, you get to walk around with your head held high and the knowledge that you have the cleanest ass in the room. And you’ll probably start hitting home runs too.

If you were at Rate Field on Sunday and grabbed one of these, you’re sitting on a solid flip for something that was handed to you at the gates. It’s a fun reminder that stadium giveaways, especially ones tied to a viral storyline, can be worth real money on eBay. It’s a similar story to what we’re seeing with the Yankees’ Naruto promo card, where presale listings are already fetching up to $800 for a card that hasn’t even been officially revealed.