Daniel Murphy, Infield, Los Angeles Angels


Date of Birth: 4/1/1985
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida
College: Jacksonville University
Nickname: Murph

Daniel Murphy, infielder for the Los Angeles Angels, was drafted by the New York Mets in 2006. He had his first start in the majors in early August of 2008 when he replaced an injured Marlon Anderson for 49 games. He ended his first season with a .313 batting average, 2 home runs and 41 hits.

The 2013 season was one of Murphy's best, with career highs of 188 hits, 78 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases in 161 games. He finished the 2014 season with 172 hits, 37 doubles, 57 RBIs, and a .289 batting average in 143 games.

Murphy had a good 2015 regular season and a very strong postseason. In the regular season, he batted .281 with 140 hits, 38 doubles, a career high 14 home runs, and 73 RBIs in 130 games. Defensively, he played 17 games at first base, 69 games at second base, and 42 games at third base. He won the National League Championship Series MVP. During that series, he broke an MLB record for hitting home runs in each of six consecutive games and he tied Lou Gehrig's postseason record for seven consecutive games with a hit, a run, and an RBI in each game. His postseason batting average was .328 with 19 hits, including 2 doubles and 7 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 11 RBIs in 58 at-bats in 14 games.

Murphy signed a three-year, $27.5 million contract with the Washington Nationals on January 6, 2016. He earned his salary in 2016, while proving that his 2015 postseason record wasn't a fluke. In 142 games in 2016, he had career highs in doubles with 47, home runs with 25, and RBIs with 104. He had 184 hits and he batted a career high .347. His batting average was second in the major leagues (D.J. LeMahieu of the Colorado Rockies batted .348). He excelled again in the postseason, batting .438 with 7 hits and 6 RBIs in 16 at-bats in 5 games. He won his first Silver Slugger award in 2016.

Murphy had another strong season in 2017, batting .322 in 144 games. He had 172 hits, 43 doubles, 23 home runs, 93 RBIs, and 77 strikeouts to a career high 52 walks. Defensively, as the Nationals' second baseman in 139 games, he made 353 assists, 86 double plays, 218 putouts, and 9 errors. In the 2017 postseason, Murphy hit a home run in game five of the NL Division Series. He batted .211 with 4 hits, including a double, and 2 RBIs in 19 at-bats in 5 games.

Murphy won his second consecutive Silver Slugger award in 2017.

The Nationals traded Murphy to the Chicago Cubs on August 21, 2018. He spent much of the first part of the season on the DL. He finished the season with a .299 batting average, 98 hits, 15 doubles, and 42 RBIs in 56 games with the Nationals and 35 games with the Cubs. Defensively, as a second baseman in 71 games, he made 130 assists, 26 double plays, 106 putouts, and 6 errors.

Murphy became a free agent on October 29, 2018. He signed with the Colorado Rockies on December 21, 2018. He finished the 2019 season with 122 hits, 35 doubles, 13 home runs, 78 RBIs, 74 strikeouts to 32 walks, and a .279 batting average in 132 games. Although he was a second baseman prior to 2019, he played at first base for most of the season. In 110 games at first base, he made 109 assists, 97 double plays, 909 putouts, and 9 errors, and he had a .991 fielding percentage.

Murphy played in 40 games in 2020. He batted .236 with 29 hits, 3 doubles, 3 home runs, 16 RBIs, and 21 strikeouts to 7 walks in 123 at-bats. Defensively, he played 29 games at first base, and he was the DH in 4 games.

Murphy became a free agent on October 28, 2020. He announced his retirement on January 29, 2021.

Murphy came out of retirement on March 29, 2023, when he signed with the independent Long Island Ducks. His contract was purchased by the Angels on June 12, 2023.

Career batting statistics for Murphy through 2020 include:

  • 1,452 games played
  • 1,572 hits
  • 371 doubles
  • 138 home runs
  • 735 RBIs
  • 709 strikeouts to 364 walks
  • .296 batting average

Career fielding statistics for Murphy at second base through 2020 include:

  • 837 games played
  • 2,035 assists
  • 469 double plays
  • 1,372 putouts
  • 78 errors
  • .978 fielding percentage

Personal Life

Murphy and his wife Victoria were married on December 1, 2012. They have one son.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Daniel Murphy
ESPN Sports - Daniel Murphy