If you were watching baseball in October 2015, you remember the feeling. Every time Daniel Murphy stepped into the batter’s box, the air in the stadium just... changed. It wasn't just that he was hitting home runs; it was the way he was doing it. He looked like a man who had cracked the code to a vault everyone else was still trying to pick.
Honestly, he basically was.
Murphy’s career is one of the weirdest, most inspiring, and occasionally frustrating arcs in modern baseball history. He wasn't a blue-chip prospect. He wasn't a defensive wizard. Heck, for a long time, nobody even knew where to put him on the field. But the man could flat-out hit. And now, in 2026, as he’s officially appearing on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, we’re forced to reckon with what his "professional hitter" legacy actually means.
The 2015 Postseason: Six Games of Pure Insanity
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or the goat in the room, if you’re a Cubs fan.
In the 2015 postseason, Daniel Murphy did something that shouldn't be possible. He hit a home run in six consecutive playoff games. Read that again. Not six games in July against a rebuilding team—six straight games in the high-pressure cooker of the NLDS and NLCS.
He didn't do it against "inning eaters," either. He took the best pitchers of a generation deep. Clayton Kershaw. Zack Greinke. Jake Arrieta. These guys were at the absolute peak of their powers, and Murphy was treating them like batting practice pitchers. He finished that NLCS against Chicago with a .529 average and four homers in four games.
It was a "video game" stretch.
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But here’s the thing people forget: it wasn't a fluke. It was the result of a massive, calculated shift in his mechanics. Murphy, working with coaches Kevin Long and Pat Roessler, decided to stop being a "spray hitter" and started looking to pull the ball with authority. He moved closer to the plate. He got his swing started earlier.
Suddenly, the guy who used to slap singles to left field was a middle-of-the-order monster.
Why the Mets Let Him Walk (and Why it Hurt)
You’ve gotta feel for Mets fans here. After watching Murph carry them to a World Series, the front office basically said, "Thanks for the memories, but we don't think you can keep this up." They offered him a qualifying offer, he turned it down, and he signed a three-year, $37.5 million deal with the division-rival Washington Nationals.
Big mistake. Huge.
In 2016, Murphy didn't just "keep it up"—he got better. He hit .347. He led the league in doubles (47) and slugging ($0.595$). He finished second in the NL MVP voting. It was one of the most productive "revenge" seasons in the history of the sport. Every time the Nationals played the Mets, it felt like Murphy was personally trying to drive every pitch into the Shea Bridge.
He was a "grinder." That's the word scouts always used for him. He didn't have the natural athleticism of a Bryce Harper or the raw power of a Pete Alonso. He won with his brain. He studied pitchers like he was prepping for a bar exam.
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The "Murph" Experience: Defense and Chaos
Look, we have to be honest. Daniel Murphy playing second base was... an adventure.
There’s a reason he played first, second, third, and even left field (briefly and terrifyingly) during his time in Queens. He wasn't fast. His range was limited. And his internal clock sometimes ran about three seconds slow on double plays.
But you know what? It sort of added to the charm. He was "Murph." He was the guy who would lose a ball in the sun one inning and then drive in the winning run with a bases-clearing double the next. He was human. In an era of baseball increasingly defined by "perfect" athletes and exit velocity, Murphy felt like a throwback to a guy who just loved the art of the 15-pitch at-bat.
What is Daniel Murphy Doing in 2026?
If you turn on SNY today, you might hear a familiar voice.
Since retiring after a stint with the Rockies in 2020 (and a brief, legendary comeback attempt in the minor leagues in 2023), Murphy has found his second calling: the broadcast booth. He’s been groomed as the heir apparent to the legendary Mets broadcast trio of Gary, Keith, and Ron.
Watching him break down a swing on television is like taking a masterclass. He doesn't just say a guy "missed a pitch." He explains why the barrel angle was off or why the hitter's front hip leaked early. It’s the same obsession that made him a .296 career hitter over 12 seasons.
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The Hall of Fame Debate: Does He Belong?
As his name pops up on the 2026 ballot, the debate is heating up.
The Case Against:
- Only 1,572 career hits.
- Defensive metrics were, frankly, pretty bad.
- His peak was relatively short (2015–2017).
- Total WAR ($20.8$) is way below the typical Hall of Fame threshold.
The Case For:
- He owns one of the greatest postseason records in the history of the game.
- Three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger.
- He was the best pure hitter in the National League for a three-year stretch.
- The "Impact" factor: You can't tell the story of 2010s baseball without him.
He probably won't get into Cooperstown on the first ballot. Or the second. But Daniel Murphy represents a specific archetype of player—the high-contact, high-IQ hitter—that is becoming increasingly rare.
Actionable Takeaways for Modern Fans
If you’re a young player or a fan trying to understand how the game is played today, there are three big lessons from the Daniel Murphy saga:
- Adjust or Die: Murphy was a "good" hitter for seven years. He became a "great" hitter because he was willing to completely tear down his approach at age 30. Never stop tweaking your process.
- Mental Prep Matters: Murphy didn't beat pitchers with 100 mph exit velo. He beat them by knowing exactly what pitch was coming in a 2-2 count. If you can outthink your opponent, you don't need to out-athlete them.
- The Postseason is a Different Beast: Regular season stats are for contracts. Postseason stats are for legends. Murphy proved that one hot month can define a legacy more than a decade of "steady" production.
Keep an eye on the SNY broadcasts this season. Even if he's not wearing the jersey anymore, Daniel Murphy is still teaching the world how to hit. Whether he ends up with a plaque in upstate New York or just stays the most beloved "bad" defender in Mets history, his impact on the game is permanent.
Next Step for You: If you want to see the mechanics we discussed in action, go back and watch the highlights of the 2015 NLCS. Pay close attention to his front foot—you'll see exactly how he started "catching" those 98 mph heaters out in front of the plate. It's a clinic on how to turn a contact swing into a power swing without losing your soul.