The Giants announced on Saturday that they and free-agent catcher Tom Murphy had reached an agreement on a two-year, $8.25 million contract that includes a $4 million club option for 2026.
Murphy’s first two seasons with San Francisco will bring home $4 million apiece. Murphy is eligible for a $250,000 buyout if the team decides not to use his third-year option. In addition, he will donate $20,000 to the Giants Community Fund annually during his first two seasons and an additional $20,000 in 2026 in the event that the option is exercised.
After an outstanding rookie season in 2023, Patrick Bailey has established himself as the Giants’ catcher of the future. With Murphy, 32, the team will have a seasoned veteran to support Bailey. In 47 games with Seattle last season, the right-handed hitter Murphy hit.290 with an.873 OPS and eight home runs; however, he missed the last six weeks of the campaign because of a thumb injury.
After being selected by the Rockies in the third round of the 2012 Draft, Murphy has spent parts of eight seasons with Colorado and Seattle. He has a career OPS of.769, which includes a.842 OPS versus left-handed pitchers. Murphy, who is thought of more as a hitting-first catcher, should be a good balance to Bailey, a defensive-minded player who was a finalist for the Gold Glove Award in his first Major League season.
Nevertheless, Murphy’s health will be crucial for the Giants, as he has only played in 158 games over the previous three seasons because of injuries.
Murphy’s presence may have an impact on Joey Bart, a former first-round choice who has been considered a trade candidate now that Bailey has established himself as the Giants’ starting catcher.
Despite being the second overall pick in the 2018 Draft, Bart struggled to establish himself in the Major Leagues, batting just.219 with a.623 OPS and 11 home runs in his first four seasons. He made his Giants debut during the 2020 season, which was cut short due to the pandemic. Bart, 27, was at Triple-A Sacramento for the majority of the 2023 season and will have no options when he reports to Spring Training in 2024.
Blake Sabol, the Giants’ third catcher, is listed on their 40-man roster, but he can be optioned to the Minors in 2023 after remaining as a Rule 5 Draft selection. In 110 games as a rookie, Sabol, 25, hit.235 with a.695 OPS and 13 home runs. His flexibility to play both behind the plate and in the outfield helped him establish himself as a useful asset.
The Giants’ 40-man roster is officially complete after they added Murphy and KBO ace Jung Hoo Lee to their roster and claimed outfielder TJ Hopkins and right-handed reliever Devin Sweet off waivers.