Former Mets postseason hero Daniel Murphy is coming out of retirement to play baseball in New York — but not in the majors.
The 37-year-old ex-big-leaguer has signed with the independent Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, the team announced on Wednesday.
“This game is part of my soul,” he said in a statement. “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 played 12 seasons in the majors with seven of them coming as a member of the Mets between 2008-2015. He etched his name in Mets lore during his final season with the club, leading them to the National League pennant and their first World Series appearance since 2000 thanks to a magical performance in the postseason.
Hitting home runs in six consecutive games — setting an MLB record — between the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers and NLCS against the Chicago Cubs, Murphy won League Championship MVP honors by batting .529 with four round-trippers and six RBI in the four-game sweep.
Joining the Washington Nationals in 2016, Murphy put together the finest season of his pro career, batting .347 with a .985 OPS, 25 home runs, and 104 RBI. He finished second in the NL MVP voting that year.
Following the 2020 season with the Colorado Rockies, he announced his retirement, finishing with a .296 career batting average.
He ranks eighth in Mets franchise history with a .288 batting average, third with 228 doubles, and ninth with 310 extra-base hits.
“Competing before the New York fans is an enormous privilege, and I hope that my effort and performance reflect how honored I am to do so,” Murphy said. “The sincerest thanks from my family and I to the Long Island Ducks for this chance at a new adventure.”
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