The Long Island Ducks have added a former MLB All-Star to their team.
Daniel Murphy has signed to play with the Ducks, who are an independent team in the Atlantic League. Murphy last played in the majors in 2020 with the Colorado Rockies. He announced his retirement in January 2021 at the age of 35, but he’s decided to come out of retirement.
“This game is part of my soul, and my passion for playing grew as great as ever when I discovered certain things that I believe will enable me to be productive on the field again,” Murphy said in a statement issued by the Ducks.
Murphy was a three-time All-Star during his MLB career. He spent seven seasons with the New York Mets and was an All-Star for them in 2014. Then he spent three seasons with the Washington Nationals, for whom he truly was a stud. Murphy batted .347 and led the league with a .595 slugging percentage and .985 OPS in 2016. He led the league with 47 doubles in 2016 and 43 doubles in 2017.
Murphy was an explosive player in the postseason too. He won NLCS MVP in 2015 with the Mets when he batted .529 with four home runs in four games against the Cubs. He hit three home runs in the NLDS against the Dodgers the same year.
Murphy turns 38 on April 1 and still misses the game enough where he wants to keep playing even if it’s in the independent minor leagues.
More must-reads: