Tom Murphy

Tom Murphy

33-Year-Old CatcherC
San Francisco Giants
60-Day IL
Injury Knee
Est. Return 2/1/2025
2024 Fantasy Outlook
A small fracture in his left thumb truncated his 2023 season, but even when healthy, Murphy rarely saw the field while playing behind Cal Raleigh in Seattle. Murphy was active for four and a half months and only logged 159 plate appearances. His performance at the plate in that small sample was excellent, as he slashed .290/.335/.538 with eight homers. He's been above average at the plate throughout most of his career, to the point where he can be considered passable in two-catcher leagues as a replacement. Entering his age-33 season, Murphy has only once reached even 300 plate appearances in a season, so he's a clear backup, though a quality one. After signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the Giants, Murphy will likely serve as the No. 2 behind Patrick Bailey in San Francisco, seeing most of his starts against left-handed pitching. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#424
ADP
$Signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Giants in December of 2023. Contract includes $4 million team option ($250,000 buyout) for 2026.
Likely done for 2024
CSan Francisco Giants
Knee
September 16, 2024
Murphy (knee) has yet to resume catching and isn't expected to be activated from the 60-day injured list before the season ends Sept. 29, Evan Webeck of the East Bay Times reports.
ANALYSIS
Murphy has resided on the IL since May 5 with a sprained MCL in his left knee. Though he avoided surgery and was expected to make a full recovery from the injury in six weeks, Murphy has been a slow healer, with the knee injury still presenting too much pain for him to resume squatting behind the plate. The knee sprain hasn't kept him from hitting, throwing and running, but the Giants aren't keen on activating the 33-year-old if he's available only as a designated hitter or pinch-hitting option. Murphy said that he expects to be ready to resume catching in spring training after getting a full offseason of recovery.
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Batting Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
vs Right-Handed Pitchers
vs RHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
4
vs Left-Handed Pitchers
vs LHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
1
3
1
1
Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+9%
OPS vs RHP
2024
 
 
+123%
OPS vs RHP
2023
 
 
+1%
OPS vs RHP
2022
 
 
+10%
OPS vs RHP
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022vs Left .770 100 15 3 9 0 .261 .350 .420
Since 2022vs Right .837 137 16 7 11 0 .266 .321 .516
2024vs Left .259 16 0 0 0 0 .071 .188 .071
2024vs Right .577 22 3 1 2 0 .150 .227 .350
2023vs Left .869 72 11 3 9 0 .292 .361 .508
2023vs Right .876 86 8 5 8 0 .288 .314 .563
2022vs Left .833 12 4 0 0 0 .333 .500 .333
2022vs Right .914 29 5 1 1 0 .292 .414 .500
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+1%
OPS at Home
2024
 
 
+951%
OPS on Road
2023
 
 
+9%
OPS at Home
2022
 
 
+23%
OPS at Home
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022Home .814 118 17 5 7 0 .267 .347 .467
Since 2022Away .805 119 14 5 13 0 .262 .319 .486
2024Home .067 15 0 0 0 0 .000 .067 .000
2024Away .704 23 3 1 2 0 .200 .304 .400
2023Home .910 84 12 5 7 0 .289 .357 .553
2023Away .833 74 7 3 10 0 .290 .311 .522
2022Home .993 19 5 0 0 0 .400 .526 .467
2022Away .808 22 4 1 1 0 .222 .364 .444
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Tom Murphy compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • BB/K
    Walk to strikeout ratio
  • BB Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a walk.
  • K Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a strikeout.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many of a batter’s balls in play go for hits.
  • ISO
    Isolated Power. Slugging percentage minus batting average. A computation used to measure a batter's raw power.
  • AVG
    Batting average. Hits divided by at bats.
  • OBP
    On Base Percentage. A measure of how often a batters reaches base. Roughly equal to number of times on base divided by plate appearances.
  • SLG
    Slugging Percentage. A measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats.
  • OPS
    On base plus slugging. THe sum of a batter's on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
  • wOBA
    Weighted on-base average. Measures a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. wOBA combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Hard Hit Rate
    A measure of contact quality from Sports Info Solutions. This stat explains what percentage of batted balls were hit hard vs. medium or soft.
  • Barrels/PA
    The percentage of plate appearances where a batter had a batted ball classified as a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Expected BA
    Expected Batting Average.
  • Expected SLG
    Expected Slugging Percentage.
  • Sprint Speed
    The speed of a runner from home to first, in feet per second.
  • Ground Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are on the ground.
  • Line Drive %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are line drives.
  • Fly Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are fly balls.
BB/K
0.29
 
BB Rate
10.5%
 
K Rate
36.8%
 
BABIP
.158
 
ISO
.118
 
AVG
.118
 
OBP
.211
 
SLG
.235
 
OPS
.446
 
wOBA
.208
 
Exit Velocity
87.4 mph
 
Hard Hit Rate
20.0%
 
Barrels/PA
5.3%
 
Expected BA
.153
 
Expected SLG
.317
 
Sprint Speed
24.0 ft/sec
 
Ground Ball %
55.0%
 
Line Drive %
15.0%
 
Fly Ball %
30.0%
 
Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
Games By Position
Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Murphy appeared set to see significant playing time behind the plate for the Mariners in 2022, but he suffered a shoulder injury after just 14 games and ultimately underwent season-ending surgery in June. Cal Raleigh busted out with 27 home runs and a .773 OPS last season and will enter 2023 as Seattle's clear top catcher. Murphy had an .859 OPS in 2019 and does have some upside, but he's never played in more than 97 games and should serve as the backup catcher as long as Raleigh remains healthy.
Murphy enters the year as the de facto primary catcher in Seattle, but he will be challenged for playing time throughout the year. He played sparingly with the Rockies from 2015 through 2018, then broke out with the Mariners in 76 games in 2019. However, the power he showed that season (.262 ISO) was likely inflated due to the juiced ball, and he logged just a .193 xBA, .290 xwOBA and .347 xSLG last season. Murphy has made himself into a good enough defender that he should remain in the mix, especially with no minor-league options remaining, but Cal Raleigh and Luis Torrens could cut into his playing time if he doesn't show some improvement at the plate.
The 60-game schedule last season meant it was quite easy for one injury to wipe out a player's entire campaign. That's what happened with Murphy, who fouled a ball off his foot in early July and wound up missing the entire season with a fracture. He's expected to be fully healthy heading into 2021, but the year off makes a player who was already somewhat difficult to evaluate even tougher to place. Murphy's .273/.324/.535 slash line in 2019 would be good for any player, let alone a catcher, but that came in just 76 games and was preceded by four partial seasons in which he hit a combined .219/.271/.439 in 81 contests. Heading into his age-30 season, he'll likely open in a timeshare with Luis Torrens. He's shown higher highs than most backstops available in his range, but those highs were brief and now more than a year in the past, so there's no guarantee he comes close to repeating them.
After four partial seasons in Colorado, Murphy joined Seattle for the 2019 campaign to play behind Omar Narvaez. By the end of the season, Murphy had become one of the premier backup catchers in baseball, compiling a .273 average and 18 home runs in 260 at-bats. The 28-year-old's emergence was not entirely a surprise as he had tallied a .286 average and 47 homers in 215 Triple-A games. Strikeouts have long been a problem for Murphy -- he holds a career 34.4 K% -- but his power is undeniable. Murphy's .262 ISO and 14.4 AB/HR each ranked third among catchers last season (minimum 250 PA), and the 18.9 degree average launch angle he generated portends many homers to come. With Narvaez now with Milwaukee, Murphy should start for Seattle in 2020. His propensity to swing and miss makes his batting average volatile, but he is a mixed-league catcher based on his power potential and expected playing time.
The list of would-be Rockies catchers expected to be a fantasy stud is dotted with names like Todd Greene, J.D. Closser, Ben Petrick, Wilin Rosario, Yorvit Torrealba, Miguel Olivo and Charles Johnson. Murphy has his work cut out for him to keep his name from being added. He posted an impressive 1.006 OPS in September of 2016, heightening expectations for 2017. Hidden in that impressive month was a not-so-impressive 39 percent strikeout rate. In the spring, Murphy broke his arm, getting hit by an Anthony Rizzo swing while attempting to thwart a steal attempt. When he finally returned, Murphy struggled with Triple-A Albuquerque, fanning at a 36 percent clip with a middling .736 OPS. He was promoted when rosters expanded and played sparingly down the stretch, recording a terrible .198 OPS in 26 plate appearances. Murphy is still young, but Colorado brought back Chris Iannetta, so Murphy is going to have to have a big spring to carve out a significant role. Let someone else draft the uniform.
A dreadful spring training left Murphy in the minor leagues to start the season, but the 25-year-old turned things around in a flash while catching for Triple-A Albuquerque. In 80 games with the Isotopes, Murphy throttled opposing pitchers for 26 doubles, seven triples, and 19 home runs to run his slash line up to a ridiculous .327/.361/.647. Though his strikeout and walk rates look horrific, both actually improved in 2016. The best part of it all is that the top prospect's power tool translated to the big leagues during his September callup, as he logged five home runs and two doubles in just 44 at-bats. An improvement in his K:BB ratio would be more than welcome for the Rockies and fantasy owners alike, but there's no denying that Murphy's power is ready to take stage in Denver. Now that Nick Hundley is out of the picture, the Rockies' starting catching job is Murphy's to lose.
Murphy spent most of 2015 in the minors, where he showed excellent power-hitting ability. In 294 plate appearances with Double-A New Britain, the 24-year-old had a .788 OPS and improved it to an outstanding .836 after his promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque. This strong showing and injuries at the major league level led to his first big-league action in September. He only batted .257 in 39 plate appearances, but still showed his impressive power with three homers and a double. Murphy's season was cut short with another shoulder injury in October -- he missed most of 2014 with a shoulder issue -- but no structural damage was found and he should compete for a spot on the Rockies' roster in the spring if he can stay healthy.
The Rockies’ top catching prospect, Murphy was viewed as a dark horse to reach the majors at some point last season, but that never materialized as he batted .213/.321/.415 through mid-May at Double-A Tulsa and then missed the remainder of the campaign with a shoulder issue. He’s expected to be healthy for the start of the upcoming season and figures to slot back in as the primary catcher at the same level again, but the 24-year-old will need to rediscover the plus power and on-base skills that he previously demonstrated in the California League. Murphy isn’t nearly as skilled defensively as he is with the bat, but the Rockies seem to believe his receiving abilities and throwing arm are competent enough for him to avoid a position change. In any case, it’s Murphy’s offense that will dictate his eventual arrival to the majors, so if he’s able to rebound swiftly from the long injury layoff, he could still have an outside chance at usurping the disappointing Wilin Rosario for the Rockies’ everyday catching gig some point later in the season.
The Sally League proved to be no challenge for Murphy, who slashed an impressive .288/.385/.590 with 19 homers before getting the call to Double-A Tulsa, skipping High-A entirely. He was able to maintain his success at the plate following the promotion, but still seems likely to spend most of the 2014 campaign at Tulsa for further defensive polish and some light refinement to his swing. Though Murphy doesn’t possess the game-changing power of Wilin Rosario, the Rockies’ anointed catcher of the present and future, he appears to be much more adequate as a game-caller and pitch-blocker, and has thus far proven capable with the bat. Colorado's pursuit of Carlos Ruiz in free agency in the offseason suggests the organization is somewhat skeptical Rosario can make the necessary defensive improvements to stay behind the plate long-term, which could open the door for Murphy at some point if he continues to thrive in the upper minors.
More Fantasy News
Begins hitting, running
CSan Francisco Giants
Knee
August 20, 2024
Giants manager Bob Melvin said Saturday that Murphy (knee) has begun a hitting and running progression and could be an option to return from the 60-day injured list in September, MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Catching live bullpen Saturday
CSan Francisco Giants
Knee
July 5, 2024
Murphy (knee) will catch a live bullpen session Saturday in San Francisco, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
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Resumes baseball activities
CSan Francisco Giants
Knee
June 18, 2024
Murphy (knee) has been taking batting practice and throwing out to 110 feet as of last week, MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Moved to 60-day IL
CSan Francisco Giants
Knee
May 15, 2024
The Giants transferred Murphy (knee) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Out 4-to-6 weeks
CSan Francisco Giants
Knee
May 6, 2024
Giants manager Bob Melvin said Monday that Murphy is expected to be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks after being diagnosed with a left knee sprain, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Could return to Seattle in 2024
CFree Agent
November 7, 2023
The Mariners are interested re-signing Murphy, who finished the 2023 season on the injured list due to a fractured thumb, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
ANALYSIS
Murphy suffered a left thumb sprain this past August and was later diagnosed with a season-ending fracture of that same digit, but he is fully healthy now as he moves into free agency. The 32-year-old catcher posted an .873 OPS across 47 games when healthy in 2023 and could potentially return as Cal Raleigh's backup behind the plate in 2024 if he doesn't find a starting opportunity elsewhere.
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