According to sources, free-agent catcher Tom Murphy and the San Francisco Giants have reached an agreement on a $8 million, two-year contract. The deal is pending Murphy passing a physical.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, who recently secured South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee on a $113 million, six-year contract, has added another valuable piece to the roster. Murphy, a seasoned catcher, is expected to share playing time with Patrick Bailey, particularly after Bailey’s impressive rookie season on defense. Blake Sabol, who served as a backup in 2023 and can also play the outfield, may see increased playing time at Triple-A Sacramento following Murphy’s addition.
Murphy, 32, spent the last four years with the Seattle Mariners after his first four major league seasons with the Colorado Rockies. In the 2023 season, he posted a .290 batting average with eight home runs and 17 RBIs in 47 games.
The Giants, who missed the playoffs in the last two seasons after their record-setting 107-win campaign in 2021, have been active in the offseason. Despite an unsuccessful attempt to acquire Shohei Ohtani, Zaidi remains determined to strengthen the team, making substantial moves to compete in the highly competitive NL West.