Welcome Back: Red Sox Sign Outfielder David Murphy

Thirteen years after he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox, veteran outfielder David Murphy signed a minor league deal with the club on Monday, according to multiple sources.

Murphy, 34, will make $2 million if he makes the team. The versatile outfielder previously was capable of playing all three outfield positions, but the Sox are expected to see what he has left in either right field or left field.

Murphy played 132 games between the Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem and Cleveland Indians last season. He batted .283 with a .318 OBP combined between the two clubs.

While Murphy’s best defensive days are behind him, his bat has always stayed afloat in his 10 years in the majors. He’s been a plus-WAR contributor his entire career except for 2014 when he struggled in his first season with the Indians. His best season was 2012 with the Texas Rangers: He had a .380 OBP and racked up a 3.8 WAR in 147 games.

Despite being a highly rated prospect when he was in the farm system, Murphy only saw action in 23 games as a Red Sox before being traded. What was that original trade? Do you remember Eric Gagne? Of course you do. Murphy was the star when the Rangers shipped Gagne to Boston. Murphy was joined by Engel Beltre and Kason Gabbard in 2007. Despite Gagne being terrible for the the Red Sox in 2007, you fondly remember the club winning the World Series that year.

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So does Murphy have a place on the 2016 Red Sox? It seems so, but a lot will have to go right (and wrong) for that to happen.

First of all, the outfield is a crapshoot. We all hope and pray that Mookie Betts continues to be an amazing player, but he’s surrounded by two question marks in Jackie Bradley Jr. and Rusney Castillo. Either one of those players could find themselves in Pawtucket by May.

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Murphy also meshes well with backup corner outfield Chris Young. While Young hits lefties well, Murphy has always been better against right-handed pitchers, with a career .795 OPS against them. If either Bradley Jr. or Castillo don’t work out, we could see a corner outfield platoon with Young and Murphy.

But, at the end of the day, Murphy will have to perform. He’s got a lot of younger, more talented, higher ceiling players in front of him that he’ll have to out-perform this spring to earn a job. But it should be fun to see what the former first-round pick has left in the tank.