Former Met Daniel Murphy 'humbled' to join 'sacred' SNY booth on Feb. 27-28
The mere mention of Daniel Murphy conjures up favorable memories for most Mets fans, most notably his 2015 postseason performance of a lifetime. And after nine years, he will finally make his return to the Mets, this time wearing a different hat – a broadcasting hat.
On Feb. 27 and 28, those who have missed seeing Murphy in the orange and blue will have a chance to see him (well, mostly hear him) once again, this time in the booth but still very much in the spotlight as he calls two spring training games with SNY play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen.
It’s the opportunity of a lifetime if you ask Murphy, a baseball nut who is just as good at talking about the game as he was playing it.
“I love watching baseball. I don’t get, as much, to watch nine straight innings – we have four children and events like that – but I think the opportunity to just get out there, watch a game, have Gary Cohen next to me as well, it’s an opportunity to hopefully have something to offer to the fans. They were so gracious to me for my time in New York and our family and hopefully some of my insights prove entertaining and worthwhile,” he said on Monday’s episode of Baseball Night in New York.
The 38-year-old officially retired from the game in 2023 after a 12-year stint in the majors where he played for the Mets, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies.
During his seven years in New York, Murphy played in 903 games and slashed .288/.331/.424 with 62 home runs and 228 doubles. His time with the Mets culminated in their 2015 playoff run where he hit seven home runs and had a 1.115 OPS in 14 games and set an MLB record by hitting a home run in six straight games.
New York decided not to re-sign him during the offseason and he went to Washington where he continued to have success at the plate, finishing as the runner-up in MVP voting in 2016 after leading the league in doubles (47), slugging percentage (.595) and OPS (.985).
During his appearance on BNNY, the three-time All-Star discussed in great detail and with eloquence and poise his approach to hitting as well as what an honor it is to be chosen to be a part of the SNY booth – one that he called “sacred.”
“I really am humbled because SNY could have called anyone,” Murphy said. “You already have Gary, Keith [Hernandez] and Ron [Darling] who have a mantle full of achievements and so that booth is a bit sacred in how well those guys do it and how seriously they take their job and they’re rewarded for it because you see it each year. And so the chance to do it in spring training, I’m not certain what will come from it itself, but I’m excited to get in there.”
Murphy will join Cohen and Darling on Feb. 27 when the Mets take on the Miami Marlins and will serve as the color analyst alongside Cohen on Feb. 28 when New York plays the St. Louis Cardinals.
