Chris Murphy #72

Full name is Christopher Michael Murphy (“Murph”)...Graduated from Granada Hills (CA) High School, where he threw two no-hitters...Pitched at the University of San Diego from 2017-19, going 13-12 with a 3.98 ERA and 267 SO in 214.2 IP over 43 appearances (37 starts)...In 2017 as a freshman, tabbed a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American and named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman team...Pitched for Brewster of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2018 and for Walla Walla in the West Coast League in the summer of 2016...Was teammates with Jarren Duran while pitching for Walla Walla...His sister, Ashley, was a softball pitcher at the University of Hawaii...His mother, Jennifer, was a talented softball player who received an invitation to try out for the Silver Bullets, a women’s professional baseball team; she instead decided to focus on trade school to become an electrician.

2023

Made his MLB debut and pitched in 20 games over five stints with BOS...Also pitched in 15 games for Triple-A Worcester...His first nine outings were starts for the WooSox but his remaining 26 between the teams came in relief...Nine of his 20 outings with BOS were scoreless (five hitless)...For BOS, threw 2.0+ innings 14 times, 3.0+ innings nine times and 4.0+ innings three times...Became the first Red Sox pitcher to throw at least 2.0 scoreless innings in each of their first three career outings...Also became the first pitcher in Red Sox history to toss 2.0+ relief innings in each of their first eight career appearances, doing so in each of his first 11 outings...14 of his 20 ML appearances were at least 2.0 innings, all within his first 15 outings...Became the second reliever in MLB history to throw 2.0+ innings in 14 of their first 15 career outings within a single season (see box above)...Ranked in MLB’s 87th percentile in hard-hit rate and 85th in average exit velocity...In the majors, allowed four HR and 17 ER in August (14.1 IP, 10.67 ERA)...Outside of that month, allowed only one HR and posted a 2.43 ERA in 15 relief appearances (9 ER/33.1 IP)...In MLB, opponents were 0-for-13 against his changeup (5 SO) and 4-for-33 (.131 AVG, 15 SO) against his curveball...Posted a 2.95 ERA (7 ER/21.1 IP) in nine home games for BOS and a 6.49 ERA (19 ER/26.1 IP) in 11 road games...For Worcester, posted a 6.32 ERA (37 ER/52.2 IP), including a 1.69 mark in his final six outings (3 ER/16.0 IP).

2022

Split the season between Triple-A Worcester (15 GS) and Double-A Portland (15 G, 13 GS), going 7-11 with a 4.03 ERA (68 ER/152.0 IP). Led Red Sox minor leaguers in starts (28) and innings pitched (152.0)...Ranked 2nd in strikeouts (149). Recorded 10+ SO twice, both with Portland: 11 on 6/8 vs. Hartford (6.0 IP) and 10 on 5/7 vs. Reading (6.0 IP). Threw 5.0+ innings in 22 of his 30 outings, including at least 6.0 in 12 of them and a career-high-tying 7.0 in 3. Named Double-A Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for 6/20-26 after tossing 6.0 scoreless innings on 6/25 at Richmond (1 H, 3 BB, 8 SO). Promoted to Worcester on 6/28 and spent the rest of the season with the WooSox. Earned the win in his Triple-A debut on 6/30 at Rochester (6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO). Was 3-2 with a 4.00 ERA (20 ER/45.0 IP) through his first 9 Triple-A outings (all starts), before going 0-4 with a 7.71 ERA in his final 6 (26 ER/30.1 IP).

2021

Made 21 appearances (20 starts) between High-A Greenville (14 GS) and Double-A Portland (7 G/6 GS), his first experience at both levels...Allowed six ER in 0.1 IP in his final outing of the season (9/15 at Hartford), his lone relief appearance of 2021...In his 20 starts, was 8-5 with a 4.10 ERA (46 ER/101.0 IP)...Entered 2021 ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 15 prospect, then improved to No. 11 in BA’s midseason rankings...Twice named to MLB Pipeline’s Prospect Team of the Week (8/16-22 and 9/6-12)...Ranked among Sox minor leaguers in strikeouts (5th, 128), innings pitched (5th, 101.1), wins (T-4th, 8), and starts (T-9th, 20)...Named Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June after posting a 1.66 ERA (4 ER/21.2 IP) over four starts...Promoted to Double-A Portland on 7/31, where he spent the remainder of the season...Threw a career-high 7.0 scoreless innings and allowed one hit on 8/17 vs. Binghamton (1 BB, 7 SO), earning Double-A Northeast Pitcher of the Week and MLB Pipeline Prospect Team of the Week honors for 8/16-22...Recorded a career-high-tying 11 SO over 6.0 scoreless innings on 9/10 vs. Binghamton (2 H), earning a selection to MLB Pipeline’s Prospect Team of the Week for 9/6-12.