Tom Murphy Out Multiple Weeks With Herniated Disc

Giants backup catcher Tom Murphy was diagnosed with a mid-back herniated disc, the team announced to its beat writers this morning (link via Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle). He’ll receive an epidural injection and be sidelined for multiple weeks. The Giants haven’t formally ruled Murphy out for Opening Day, but things certainly appear to be trending that direction.

Waiver claim Sam Huff and minor league signee Max Stassi will compete for the backup job behind Patrick Bailey if Murphy is indeed sidelined into the season. The Giants also announced that they’ve pulled catcher Adrian Sugastey from minor league camp and formally given him a non-roster invitation to big league camp, replenishing some of the lost depth.

San Francisco signed Murphy, 34 in April, to a two-year deal worth $8.25MM in the 2023-24 offseason. Though he came to the Giants with notable durability issues, the veteran backstop had a track record of stout production when healthy. From 2019-23 with the Mariners, he turned in a combined .250/.324/.460 batting line in 807 plate appearances — despite playing his home games in perhaps the worst hitters’ environment in the sport. By measure of wRC+, Murphy was 16% better than average at the plate during his run with the M’s.

To this point, Murphy’s contract has played out quite poorly. The righty-hitting veteran appeared in just 13 games early in the 2024 season before suffering a Grade 2 knee strain that was originally expected to shelve him for “at least” six weeks but ultimately proved to be season-ending in nature. Murphy logged only 38 plate appearances in his first year with the Giants and posted an anemic .118/.211/.235 slash.

Though Murphy had a history of injuries, the knee troubles were a new development. He’d previously endured lengthy absences due to a forearm fracture, a foot fracture, a dislocated shoulder and a ligament injury in the thumb on his catching hand. Knee problems were not something he’d battled prior — just as this new development of back woes is not something that’s hampered him in the past.

Last offseason’s addition of Murphy came after years of former No. 2 pick Joey Bart struggling in San Francisco. Murphy’s two-year deal surely played a role in pushing the out-of-options Bart off the roster, and the breakout he enjoyed after being traded to the Pirates only further adds a layer to Murphy’s health troubles. Bart hit .265/.337/.462 in 282 plate appearances with the Bucs…