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Mets agree with Daniel Murphy, avoid arbitration

ByCM Towle|

The New York Mets agreed to a one-year deal with infielder Daniel Murphy on Friday and avoided MLB arbitration.

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According to a story by Hard Ball Talk, the Mets agreed to a one-year deal with Daniel Murphy worth $8 million, thus avoiding arbitration. Murphy reportedly asked for $8.6 million initially and the Mets countered with $7.4 million. The two sides met in the middle with the final $8 million. Murphy made $5.7 million last year, but it says a lot about how the Mets feel on Murphy that they weren’t interested in giving him a longer contract. This is the final year that Murphy is eligible for salary arbitration and he will be a free agent at the end of the 2015 season if the Mets do not extend him.

Unless Murphy has an amazing year and the Mets change their mind, it’s obvious the two will be parting ways at the end of the season. It’s almost a surprising decision, considering Murphy is coming off an All-Star campaign and has shown himself to be very consistent at the plate. Over the past three seasons he’s hit .288/.327/.407. However, he will be turning 30 in April, he’s been shaky defensively and the Mets really like second baseman prospect Dilson Herrera and consider him their second baseman of the future.

With his free agency a near certainty, trade rumors should be swirling around Murphy throughout the season and especially at the trade deadline. Some teams with second base needs include the Blue Jays and White Sox, though the Nationals could consider him as a third base option or second base option, depending on where they like Anthony Rendon.

Back in December, Amazin Avenue on SBN had some thoughts on trade partners for the Mets on Murphy. The Baltimore Orioles were the first name mentioned and that remains a good fit, provided the Orioles were interested. The O’s have done very little this offseason and their current second baseman is Jonathan Schoop, who was decent, but not great at second base and he was somewhat inconsistent at the plate as well.

The other possibility in that list is the Kansas City Royals. Their incumbent second and third basemen had horrible seasons last year and the Royals lost their consistent big bat in Billy Butler. Murphy’s consistency could help the Royals. Another team listed that could work is the Yankees. The Yanks actually don’t have a second baseman listed in their roster right now. What they have is an interesting competition between Alex Rodriguez and recently signed Chase Headley for third. A-Rod apparently thinks he’ll be starting at third when the season opens.

Either way, keep an eye out for Murphy trade rumors during the season, they’re bound to happen.

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