Report: SF Giants sign former Mariners catcher Tom Murphy

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Free agent and former Seattle Mariners catcher Tom Murphy has agreed with the San Francisco Giants on an $8 million, two-year contract, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

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The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because Murphy still must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized.

Less than a week after landing South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee on a $113 million, six-year contract, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi added a veteran behind the plate who could share time with Patrick Bailey following his stellar rookie season on defense. Blake Sabol served as a backup in 2023 but can also play the outfield and could be used more regularly at Triple-A Sacramento with the addition of Murphy.

The 32-year-old Murphy spent the past four years with Seattle after playing his first four major league seasons for Colorado. He batted .290 with eight home runs and 17 RBIs over 47 games for the Mariners this year.

Murphy was briefly with the Giants organization in the spring of 2019, and was quickly traded to the Mariners in a minor trade. He had a breakout season that year, hitting a career-high 18 home runs in 75 games with Seattle.

San Francisco has missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons after winning a franchise-record 107 games and the NL West in 2021. The Giants tried without success to acquire Shohei Ohtani, making a final offer Zaidi called “very comparable if not identical” to the record $700 million, 10-year contract the Japanese two-way star agreed to with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Athletic first reported Murphy’s agreement Monday.

The Giants also claimed right-hander Devin Sweet, another former Seattle Mariners player, off waivers from Oakland.

Seattle Sports staff contributed to this post.

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