TODAY: The Giants officially announced the signing.
DECEMBER 18: The Giants are in agreement with free agent catcher Tom Murphy on a two-year deal with a 2026 club option, according to multiple reports. The Ballengee Group client is reportedly guaranteed $8.25MM, including a $250K buyout on the option. The deal can max out at $12MM.
Murphy heads to the Bay Area after five seasons in the Pacific Northwest. The right-handed hitter played a semi-regular role during his time with the Mariners. On a rate basis, Murphy has been one of the most productive power bats at the catcher position.
In 807 plate appearances with Seattle, Murphy blasted 38 home runs. He hit .250/.324/.460 overall, well above-average offense in one of the sport’s more pitcher-friendly home parks. That’s excellent production for a #2 catcher. However, that Murphy has only stepped to the plate 807 times over the last five years also points to a concerning injury history.
Going back to the start of 2020, the Buffalo product has missed time with a fractured left foot, a left shoulder dislocation and a sprained left thumb. The foot injury cost him the entire shortened season, while the shoulder limited him to 14 games in 2022. Last season’s thumb issue, suffered in mid-August, ended his year.
Despite the injury history, it’s easy to see the appeal of bringing Murphy aboard on a fairly low-cost contract. He’ll add a legitimate power presence as the backup behind 24-year-old Patrick Bailey. He’ll strike out a fair amount as well, but there aren’t many depth catchers who have the same kind of slugging upside that Murphy possesses.
The 32-year-old (33 in April) isn’t as highly-regarded on the other side of the ball. Statcast graded him below average from both framing and blocking perspectives. He only threw out one of 28 attempted basestealers in 2023. While that’s not entirely on the catcher — a pitcher’s ability to hold runners is also a factor — Statcast ranked Murphy 69th out of 74 catchers (minimum 10 throws) in average pop time to second base.
Signing Murphy could signal the forthcoming end of Joey Bart’s time in San Francisco. The second overall pick in 2018, Bart has hit only .219/.288/.335 in 162 big league contests. This year marked his final minor league option season, meaning San Francisco will have to carry him on the MLB roster or make him available to other clubs via trade or waivers.
Bailey and Murphy are the top two on the depth chart. Blake Sabol also seems ahead of Bart on the organizational hierarchy, although he has a trio of options and could play the corner outfield. Even if the Giants were to send Sabol to Triple-A, there’s not much value in keeping Bart as a sparsely-used third catcher. A sell-low trade of the former top prospect this offseason seems likely.
The Giants had a payroll in the $155MM range before the Murphy signing, according to Roster Resource. A $4MM salary would push that north of $158MM. The contract’s $4.125MM average annual value puts their luxury tax number around $192MM, about $45MM below next year’s lowest threshold.
Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic first reported the sides were nearing a multi-year deal, as well as the $8MM guarantee. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was first with an agreement. Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported it was a two-year guarantee with a third-year option. Jeff Passan of ESPN was first with the $250K option buyout, which Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 specified was not in the originally reported $8MM total. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported the $12MM maximum value.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Underrated and better offensively than even Jonah Heim
He is underrated but I’m a huge Jonah Heim fan and think last season was just the top of the iceberg! I’d be stoked to have him
I do like Heim, but his value will and should go down once stealing strikes stops mattering with the automsted strike zone. The only problem is players are grumpy cavemen who can’t stand changes.
Yeah you got a point haha, I think his bat will develop more though. I could see him being a 110wrc+ guy annually. Coming from a position where the average is around 85WRC+ that kind of production is immense!
A shocker- the Giants actually signed someone!
Considering how he hasn’t had more than 300 at bats in any season, I can’t take this seriously.
Then, take 650 at bats and put them together.
What do you mean? 650 at bats in a single season is way more impact full than 2 to 3 seasons of 650 at bats.
I meant for cumulative stats. If you mean for health, that’s a different thing. Even then, he is expected to just be a backup anyways, so he wouldn’t get 650 at bats in a season.
I’m still lost. But it’s okay.
@cora
Yeah, he definitely has health issues, that being said he’s going to be on the lesser side of games anyway or at least should be with Patrick Bailey getting the nod as the #1 catcher. Murphy might start a few games at DH too if he keeps up his offensive output. Love the username by the way 🙂
Dang. They must love picking up injury prone former mariners
They’ve got Murphys Barts Homers. Bunch of no name Bozos
No kidding. Definitely prone to fractured feet.
No need for Aaron Judge, this signing definitely makes up for it.
Multi-year deal for a dude who has played 61 games combined last 2 seasons is wild.
The dollar amount seems steep, but I guess they filled the backup position for two seasons.
The value of marginal wins to SFG, assuming they’re aiming for a wildcard berth, is very high.
Murphy’s been worth 5.3 WAR in four seasons, 2019, 2021-2023. If he’s worth just 1 win each in 2024 and 2025 this is a great deal for the Giants. And if he’s worth just 1 win total over those two seasons, it’s a perfectly sound FA deal===particularly if you compare it to the average value of backup catchers, which veers into negative WAR in many cases.
If Zaidi can’t attract superstars, he’ll keep trying to put a floor under as many positions as possible. This is a good way for an average MLB club to push its win total from 81 to 85 and make the postseason.
It’s remarkable how many weaker GMs neglect negative production from the worst of the 55 to 60 players they use. The Mets in particular were catastrophically bad at this in the 2010s, and even in 2023 they lost almost 10 wins from their worst players.
The best run teams will hold that total down to a loss of 4-5 wins (though luck of course plays its role), The Braves in 2023 lost roughly 5 wins, for example. It’s just impossible to find replacement level (ie 0 win / 0 WAR) or better players to fill out the entire back end of your roster. So paying $4.25m for one year of, say, 0.7 WAR production from Tom Murphy is meant to improve on the negative -0.3. WAR production you’ll get from the typical $800k backup catcher. Picking up a win, on average, by paying an extra $3.45 million is a smart, constructive way to run a team.
You are really digging in justifying Farhan’s incompetence.
Giant fans & I hate the Giants but you guys deserve better.
I’d sooner call previous team leadership incompetent, and yet only the bosox have more championships since 2000
Good sign by SF. This dude is underrated for sure.
If he stays healthy he’s on the All-Star Team.
Whoa. I’m not shocked, as Blake Sabol could still be optioned and/or carve out a role as a backup outfielder and third catcher. But I figured they would have gone after a one-year backup or vet with a spring invite (like they did with Perez last year)
This only makes the outfield more crowded and all but assures Joey Bart has zero chance to crack the roster barring an injury. This makes me think they’re putting more attention to trading some guys like JD Davis, Austin Slater, Conforto, or Haniger in salary dumps/swaps or coupled with some young pitching
cainet18, I could have said this word for word. Totally agree, especially about a trade. This makes me think the Giants have one in the works.
@andsc I wouldn’t be shocked. This seems like the kind of marginal move that they’d do once they felt confident they other irons in the fire
Hi Cainer, Zaidi might have a trade already sort of hashed out….we will see if it materializes.
@agnes gooch. I’d be excited to see what such a trade would be. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see any trades wait a few weeks for the Yamamoto and Snell sweepstakes settle
cainer, yeah the wait on Yamamoto’s decision is getting almost as tedious as Ohtani now! Hope he signs soon so the rest of these moves can start happening. I bet Zaidi has a few in mind, I’m excited to see. He mentioned in one interview that he is looking to trade for a blocked prospect “up the middle”, and by that I assume he meant SS. So what teams have a shortstop in AAA who is blocked on the major league level, maybe the Reds or O’s? We shall see.
Brooks Lee from Twins maybe?
Thanks for replying Bobby! I didn’t know about Brooks Lee! I looked him up and I like the idea! Will the Twins trade with us again? lol! Maybe this happens. Brooks Lee a California boy so maybe!
I think it’s a really interesting to hear Zaidi talk about looking for prospects who are blocked – seems like a smart strategy. I was kind of surprised last year when Texas traded Acuña’s little brother for Scherzer, but he’s a middle infielder and he’s pretty well blocked by Seager and Semien, so it makes sense. Guys in those types of situations might be a little easier to trade for. I think Lee could be really good, but Twins have Correa, Polanco, Lewis and Julien. Also didn’t realize he was a California kid- that would be kinda cool too!
I think it’s a really smart strategy also! And could benefit both teams if it’s sort of a need for need trade, where we have excess in one spot and they have excess in another.
Brooks Lee is named after Brooks Robinson also! I really love that!
Maybe the Twins would take Bart and Winn for him? I like Winn but I like Beck too. We have Harrison, Whisenhunt, and Black who look like they can be solid major leaguers too.
Are you a Giants fan? We have a little blog of friends who chat about the Giants and other silly stuff. A lot of people are older but friendly and super into supporting our Giants! I can give you the url if you are interested but no worries!
Stop being a lapdog to incompetent management. If Jim Jones were still alive, you would be his disciple too.
You’re wrong Jim Jones was the guy who came up with the idea of deferred money, Dodgers never land Ohtani without JJ show some respect.
I’ve got a feeling Murphy will spend a decent amount of time at DH
@ohyeadam if he’s healthy and hitting well, I wouldn’t be surprised. Otherwise, they’ve got plenty of DH options between Flores, Davis, Conforto, and Haniger. Perhaps against left-handed starters they could use Flores at first, Davis at third, Haniger in left, and Slater in right. That would leave the DH open for Murphy if they want to stack righties, and leaving Conforto, Wade Jr., and Yastrzemski on the bench.
But again, I think they’d be happy to find DH games for Murphy if he’s replicating the ~.850 OPS he had in three-out-of-four years in Seattle.
Nobody wants them. They are all overpaid or in Davis & Slater just plain sorry.
@steeler Conforto and Haniger are certainly overpaid, unless they return to form during the season. Slater and JD are not overpaid, as $7Mish is very reasonable for each. Regardless, the Giants have a ton of payroll flexibility and shown a willingness to eat money for better returns in a trade. If they cover $17M of Conforto’s $18M, for example, I’m sure teams would have some level of interest — especially if there are some decent cost-controlled pieces alongside him
The Mitch haniger of catchers. Good for 20-50 games a year.
He’ll join the Mitch Haniger of outfielders too!
You mean Mitch Garver?
Hmmm??? Joey Bart, Blake sabol, Patrick Bailey. Curious fit ..
Looks like adios to Bart.
Sabol has minor league options now so he isn’t a lock on the big club – he can take a depth role, bart could be trade bait though
All Bart would fetch at this point is a draft pick. He’s pretty much the Trey Lance of the Giants.
That is a very solid comp, although Bart has had many more chances than Trey ever did
davey—-Trey barely played in college or the pros whereas Bart has had more opportunities, not a ton but more than Trey. A new team could help Bart tho, and he has value as a back up, could go in a bundle trade
Too bad MLB teams can’t trade draft picks
Agree geg42, trading draft picks would be really exciting. Manfred is no fun tho so will take a long time to change this. Someday I hope.
Ironically, the Mariners might match up for a trade for Joey Bart.
They can trade competitive balance picks. Not as exciting, but still picks I guess.
you can trade comp picks
Gary Sanchez would have gone a long way to getting Snell inked as well.
the giants had sanchez and let him go – he ws a horrible giant hittling right around .100
He never played for the giants, only the rivercats
he was still in the system but wasn’t good enough to make it up
He was obviously good enough considering what he did with the pads
That’s debatable. His 116 OPS+ (113 on the season) is a bit misleading. He only played in 72 games for SD, and those numbers appear to be an outlier given his last 4 years. Plus the knock on him was always the subpar work behind the plate. No surprise that he’s once again a FA.
Crazy how much they’ve moved on from Posey already.
Yeah they should have just gone with zero catchers for a few seasons to honor him.
@davey gee LOL
Betcha he’s an all star this year. Dude seemed to just need a solid, full time, chance.
Sucks to say as a Padres fan, but gotta call em like I see em..
Well he’s not getting that chance. Bailey will start
Bailey can’t hit.
Sadler, Bailey was hitting fine till he got concussed
And Bailey will be just fine with the bat. It was a long season for him. People will be surprised as his bat gets better and better. Just watch his ABs..
Giants Lolololololol!!!
Life is much better with you muted
good thing the nl has a dh, oh and catchers aren’t expected to play every single game that’s scheduled, since it’s a pretty physically demanding position. he needed a favorable situation, and since patrick bailey is in place as a strong defensive possible starter, this could be the right situation for murphy to thrive in.
Does anyone know if a team could DH for their catcher and let their pitcher hit. ie: Ohtani pitches and Austin Barnes catches.
He never gets a fulltime chance because he can’t ever stay on the field for more than 30-40 games
Every time the Giants pick up a new catcher I feel like I’m a bit closer to my dream coming true – to never have Joey Bart wear the orange and black again.
I just wanna know why Bart is glosses over when talking about Giants busts? I remember when Gary Brown was floundering in the minors it was all over how he was one of the biggest busts in franchise history and Bart was a number two overall pick
Bart was a Bobby Evans regime pick in 2018, not a Zaidi pick. His development got messed up by the pandemic, but he has had his chances, I wish him good luck.
When gary brown came around, the giants farm was barren. It’s also compounded by the fact that supposedly the Mets wanted him instead of Wheeler in the Beltran deal. We all know Bart is a bust, it’s just we got other shiny prospects now
damn, imagine if the Giants traded Brown for Beltran..I bet Wheeler still be a Giant by now
Besides the jury still being out on Bart, there are mitigating factors to his poor numbers. He was rushed to the big club far too soon due to Posey’s COVID opt-out. I think that set him back. It doesn’t help a guy’s confidence to be overwhelmed by ML pitching before they’re ready.
In the one decent shot he had, 97 games in 2022, he wasn’t terrible. He posted an 87 OPS+ which is not that bad for a catcher. He had a higher OPS over a few, more established catchers like Gary Sanchez, Kyle Higashioka, Austin Nola, Curt Casali, Victor Caratini, Yan Gomes, Carson Kelly, Martin Maldonado, Omar Narvaez. Luis Campusano, and Yasmani Grandal to mention a few. He tends to be unfairly compared to Adley Rutschmanm which is why some call him a bust, but he could still have a ML career which Gary Brown did not have.
Nevertheless, it’s time for Joey to go. I wish him good luck.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t see any future for Bart with the Giants. But he could still be a productive player for some other team especially one in need of catching help. Not that I think there will be much of a return in trade.
I was just addressing the comparison of him and Gary Brown, who’s ML career amounted to all of 7 PAs, which I don’t think is apt. I could see Bart hanging around for a number of years, even if they’re not spectacular, if he can stay healthy.
he could still develop, the issue is that he is out of options so he is going to have to do it at the major league level. The issue with him has always been strikeouts – when he was given an extended look at the major league level he was near a 60% strikeout rate, the worst in the majors. Having him in the lineup was almost worse than having a pitcher in the lineup because he didn’t really bunt either – meaning that teams would load em up to get to him knowing that they had a better chance than not of striking him out
Just because he’s out of options doesn’t mean he has to develop at the ML level. He’s currently on the RC. roster, so if he’s not called up he could stay there, at least for another year.
Any team that acquired him could also try and pass him through waivers, and he’s still a year short of being able to refuse the assignment. It would interesting to see if he was waived how much he’d be in demand.
Gary brown was a late first round pick, Bart was second overall. The only comparison was they were the giants top prospect at one point. Both should have been traded, kinda like another commenter foppert(obviously not him) should have been traded
Because fortunately most people are capable of avoiding that kind of hyperbole. No draft can ever really be called a bust. Free agents or trades, however, are very different.
Wish the M’s could have brought him back. Good luck to Murph.
They may have jumped the gun with the Arizona trade. It’s hard to believe that they wouldn’t have been players at 2/8, especially after the swap with Atlanta that freed up a good 24m.
Then again, it’s possible his asking price was higher then and he settled for less than that.
Disappointed by this move for the time being. Murphy is a fine backup catcher, but was really hoping they would let Bart try and rebound as Bailey’s backup and possibly trade Sabol. Looks like Bart is gonna be trade bait for sure and Sabol is going to be a catching/left field platoon option
If Murphy remains healthy, Bailey won’t be starting very many games — the kid can’t hit.
Bailey has about as much of a chance to win the silver slugger as Murphy does staying healthy
You’re gonna be surprised by Bailey’s bat. He looked just fine for the first half of his call up, then got beaned, then got weary.
Sabol will be down in AAA. Bart maybe on his way out, but could still be a factor in case of injuries
Bart is gone.
Probably. Hopefully a package deal.
The article forgot to mention he is a former Giant… The must’ve sold him pretty good during those 4 days back in March 2019 that made him want to come back.
@barrybonds1994 Nice made up tale you’re peddling there. Murphy has only played for the Rockies and Mariners.
They had Murphy for 4 days during spring training in 2019. He didn’t make the team and they traded him to Seattle for a scrub
Tell ‘em reno!
@reno24 Yeah, you’re actually right. My bad. Didn’t recall that and saw no stats for him on any teams other than the Rockies and Mariners.
spliff, it’s one thing disagreeing with a post but you were an a**. I for one would tell you to shove your “my bad”
Stfu agnes
Now now #FF, that’s not very friendly of you, using cuss words too. I’m a nice person, you should try being nice. It will brighten your day
Yup, Murphy was one of the many churn players that FZ seemed to be picking up only to spit out a few days later.
As a Mariners fan I can tell Giants fans that you are getting a steal at that price. Mariners fans are ticked off we didn’t bring him back.
Totally agree. Excellent backup catcher, great clubhouse guy, and great with the pitchers. I thought the mariners would bring him back, and might be eventually keep him as a coach. A definite loss for the Mariners. I wish him well!!!
Gives me even less hope that the Ms spend any money this off-season. $4m for a backup catcher that already knows your staff. Fans love Murph. I guess Stanton needs to make up for buying Root Sports NW. More worried about buying sports networks than building a competitive team.
With no revenue from broadcasts, there would be no money for players. He has to be more worried about that. Otherwise, you would see the Mariners doing what San Diego has had to do. Cut, Cut, Cut!
Adios Bart and Harrison. Welcome Cease? Welcome Bieber?
@klondikefansf Why exactly would this move signal the end of Harrison’s time with the Giants?
I’d be willing to bet that Harrison is in the Giants ’24 rotation.
spliff—klondike just trying to stir up trouble! Harry is here to stay! Local boy, we love him!
It doesn’t signal it and I’m not trying to stir anything up. I’m saying Harrison is a good trade candidate to bring back some big league talent who are already established and signal salary relief to their team
The Giants are not trading Harrison for Cease or Bieber. Maybe Whisenhunt and Bart. Harrison is the the highest ranked left handed pitching prospect in all of MLB, a local kid that the fans love, super cheap/under team control and already pitching very well at the MLB level.
Harrison is exciting, especially with the prospect of he and Webb ultimately being young anchors with high ceilings. But with SF’s goal to add some all stars and be more competitive starting yesterday. Harrison clearly fits the profile of a high ceiling controllable prospect to be swapped for a proven excellent SP. Ideally a trade and sign, like Glasnow’s deal included, but at least someone controllable for a couple of seasons.
I think Cease is a good target. Not saying a straight up deal for Cease. Just saying that I think they should be willing to trade him to make a bold deal that immediately adds stability and makes them stronger now.
The reasons you don’t think they would part with Harrison are exactly why he would be center of a potential blockbuster.
He’s way more valuable than Cease or Bieber at this point. Rays got Piepot for Glasnow and his extension. Piepot is fine, but nowhere near the pitcher/prospect that Harrison is
Bingo again reno!
not too sure that trade combo could’ve net either SP but if it did, that’d be a steal!
Murphy’s Law applies when he tries to throw out base-runners.
Bart needs a change of scenery and it’s coming very soon.
With no options remaining he will get traded; in fact, it’s gotta be a done deal already with the Murphy signing.
Don’t know what it was about Joey but he rubbed me the wrong way. Mannerisms, I don’t know. So I won’t be shedding any tears when we get he gets his walking papers.
Seems like Joey Bart’s fate is sealed.
It was as soon as Farhan and Krapler were signed
Oh yeah #FF, before Farhan was hired, Joey Bart was an all star lock. LOLOLOLOLOL
Love how. you bash non-Farhan prospects. Mistress? What about Will Wilson? Hunter Bishop. List goes on. He is inept and needs to be fired.
Patrick Bailey, Tristan Beck, Thairo Estrada, Kyle Harrison, Ryan Walker, Keaton Winn, Carson Wisenhunt.
List goes on.
All Stars, right?
They have to be all-stars? That’s an impossibly high bar. Expecting guys in their first year, or prospects that haven’t played an MLB game to be all-stars makes your criticisms lack credibility.
For the last four years, Farhan had a pickup that became an all-star.
Will Smith
Kevin Gausman
Carlos Rodon / Joc Pederson
Alex Cobb
Say what you will about the state of the club and why it couldn’t sustain the 107 win 2021 season, but to ignore that he can develop talent into all-star level players is beyond lunacy.
If Alex Cobb can be an all-star with the Giants at age 35, I’m highly optimistic that one or a few of his prospects will as well..
Must have a deal in the works to SEND JOEY BART away
a #2 overall achieving total bust status almost fully accomplished.
I thought they should have traded Bart 2 seasons ago when he still had some hype and was putting up numbers in the minors before the multiple broken hand/finger injuries.
Davey, Zaidi has been trying to trade Bart for years now I think!
He “blasted” 38 home runs??? Did a kid write this article?
GET OFF MY LAWN!
Two thoughts: (1) Blake Sabol is gonna start the year in AAA. (2) Giants are about to trade Joey Bart.
Bobby Dalbec for Joey Bart?
I could see Miami taking a chance on Bart, at this point he won’t cost a ton and you can see what you have there.
No lose situation.
Giants wouldn’t get much for Bart besides maybe another team’s similar change-of-scenery player. At this point his highest value might just be as injury insurance through spring training.
Tigers will trade Baez for him;)
After seeing that he only got 7.75 MM over 2 years, and the club got an option for a 3rd year with s 250k buyout, I can’t tell if it’s easier for baserunners or for the Giants to rob him blind.
Giants aren’t trading Harrison. I’m sure they would move Whisenhunt, Winn, Matos, Bart, Villar, Schmitt, Sabol and JD Davis. Not really sure what a package of any of these guys gets you back though.
Bart and Villar, probably not much. But the others you mention absolutely have value.
Totally agree, just not sure how much value. Like could they get Eloy and Cease for Whisenhunt, Matos, Winn and Schmitt?
I’d be ecstatic if the Giants pulled that off!
Of course they’d trade those guys. But you didn’t support your argument based on your last sentence: they couldn’t get much for them. They’d also trade Yaz, Haniger, and Conforto.
Get the theme here? Your least valuable players on the 40 who are holding you back won’t net you any return. That’s why they should be willing to make a bold move now to become more competitive now, win more, be more attractive to FA, and throw money at the return to keep them around.
Matos, Whisenhunt and Schmitt are far from the least valuable players on the Giants 40
Catching is Russian Roulette for injuries and those aren’t Muscle pull Injuries, good to have a Veteran for Bailey. Good Sign. I sense a Trade coming involving Bart and others to acquire a Position Player.
Tom Murphy can rake WHEN HEALTHY and is probably underappreciated. He should be a good addition for the giants to pair with the defensive wizard they have probably getting the majority of games!
Good luck Murphy. Class act player and teammate. Sorry to see him go
Curious move unless the team is planning to use Sabol and Murphy as platoon at DH while also keeping a backup catcher available. Could be seeing a trade of Bart and an outfielder or two in the near future.
IF they could only package either Ross Stripling $15m or Anthony DeSclafani $12m by including Bart and another prospect to open room for free agent pitcher of better quality.
They don’t need to move any of those guys to sign a FA pitcher. And FA pitchers of better quality are not exactly in abundance.
Murphy seems like a reliable & solid #2 catcher to Bailey. Appears to be the end of Bart & Sabol becomes a #3 catcher who will backup cover OF. Bart & Sabol may also be packaged in trades.
That’s not how you spell Yamamoto.
Wow, Some Mariner news. More like- former Mariner
As a Giant fan, I like this signing a lot. The more bats the merrier!
Don’t understand why you announce signing Murphy before trading Bart. Reduces what trading value he had.
The Giants have not made an announcement. This came in from media.
@giacgara Teams that are interested in Bart can’t afford to wait three months in hopes that he’ll require a 40+FV prospect instead of a 40FV prospect, or however we care to value his return in trade.
Bart’s still pre-arb, and it’s not as if his price to another team will drop enough to make it worth the wait when the overwhelming likelihood that a low-budget team will be happy to jump at a small chance to turn around a cheap catcher. He’s also less likely to get a significant prospect in return than he is to bring back someone else’s disappointing pre-arb projects.
Besides, as far as anyone knows as of this point in the offseason the Giants will be running a three catcher offense, using Murphy as one of two backups, as a ph v LHP (.842 career OPS) while keeping Bart on the roster particularly since Murphy’s durability is poor.
Costs them nothing to do it this way, in short—and the return for Bart might be so poor that waiting costs them nothing.
Bad idea to trade Bart. Bailey isn’t proven yet. Although he did manage to commit more errors than any other catcher in MLB, while playing only 3/4 of the season
#FF—Bailey was fine before he was concussed. If you think Bart is better than Bailey, then you don’t have eyeballs
This guy has a career .244/.313/.456 line? That’s surprisingly solid. Better than most starting catchers.
Who said Farhan couldn’t bring in FA’s?
Bart to the Bucs?
If Murphy could end up being the 2024/2025 version of Nick Hundley, then the Giants just got another potential valuable signing…
If I’m right, and I’m always right (66% of the time) then Joey Bart is getting traded to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Why? They only have 1 catcher on their 40 man roster and Bart is just the kind of player the Rays love: CHEAP
At least the second Tom Murphy to play for the Giants in the last 50 years.
This is an underrated signing, smart pickup, but Farhan still needs to get a solid starter…
Giants need to leave Yamamoto pipe dream alone & just go get Snell & Chapman.
Murphy is probably a future manager. Pitchers love him as a catcher. Sad to see him go, but glad it’s to a team I don’t mind.
Really was hoping to see him in Yankees pinstripes
Very lame signing. Farhan and Krapler have done literally everything they possibly can to sabotage our #2 overall pick, just because he was drafted by the previous regime
1 penny base salary, $8,249,999,99 deferred.
Why is Gary Sanchez unsigned? SD should sign Sanchez, and trade Kyle Higashioka.
Probably because of his encounter with the food delivery driver.
Sorry that was bruce maxwell.
Yeah, I was confused by your comment. Then I remembered the Bruce Maxwell incident without remembering his name.
Kind of funny how you confused them since Maxwell hasn’t played in the majors since 2018.
very underrated signing. if he can maintain some semblance of health he’s going to help a whole lot
It’s official. The Marlins are back to being hot trash. Their big move is a guy who should be a career minor leaguer.
This guy looks like he could be Bellinger’s stand-in or stunt double.
I’d like to know the number of catchers we have signed/drafted since Posey retired. Guessing 12
Take that, Otani and Yamamoto! God, this team is going to be so lame for the next decade.
This is why Farhan must go and take his people with him. They trade Murphy for Jesus Ozoria. Who? Murphy then hits 18 home runs with a .273 BA. Brilliant move Farhan. But there is more. In 2021 he hits .202 and the last two years he has 200 plate appearances total. And the Giants guarantee him 8 million bucks. Farhan is a clown. He is inept. This signing has Mitch Hanniger 2.0 written all over it.