San Francisco Giants Catcher Tom Murphy Suffers Herniated Disc, Out Multiple Weeks

Tom Murphy, who missed most of the San Francisco Giants' 2024 season dealing with a knee injury, will spend the next few weeks of spring training recovering from a mid-back disk herniation.

San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Tom Murphy (19) before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oracle Park. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

San Francisco Giants catcher Tom Murphy, fresh off an injury-plagued 2024 campaign, has already fallen victim to the injury bug in 2025.

Murphy is set to receive an epidural injection for a mid-back disk herniation on Monday, the team announced. He will be re-evaluated within the next few weeks.

The veteran backstop was dealing with back spasms when he reported to spring training camp. He was diagnosed with a "mild" oblique strain shortly after.

If he cannot return to action before March 25, it would mark the first time since 2013 that Murphy did not appear in a single Cactus League game.

Murphy suffered a left knee sprain last May, with the initial estimate on his recovery timeline being 4-to-6 weeks. He wound up missing the rest of the season, biding his time on the 60-day injured list.

The backstop is set to turn 34 years old in April.

In Murphy's absence, Max Stassi and Sam Huff will be left to compete for backup catcher reps.

Murphy got his start with the Colorado Rockies, appearing in 81 games for the club between 2015 and 2018. He truly broke out in 2019, batting .273 with an .858 OPS and 2.6 WAR across 75 games with the Seattle Mariners.

A broken bone in his left foot cost Murphy the entire 2020 season, while shoulder surgery cut his 2022 campaign short. He appeared in just 233 games over the course of his five seasons with the Mariners, posting a 5.3 WAR along the way.

The Giants signed Murphy to a two-year, $8 million contract last winter. They have a $4 million club option on his deal for 2026 as well, which comes along with a $250K buyout.

For his career, Murphy is a .239 hitter with a .757 OPS. Per 162 games, he averages 24 home runs, 63 RBIs,-3 defensive runs saved and a 2.4 WAR.

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