Former Cub Daniel Murphy signs with Long Island Ducks

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Former Chicago Cub and star infielder Daniel Murphy is attempting a comeback to the big leagues, starting the path by signing a deal with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, the club announced on social media.

Murphy, who turns 38 on Saturday, was one of the most consistent contact hitters of the 2010s and a staple of the New York Mets' lineups for much of the earlier part of the decade. The infielder notably turned heads in the 2015 postseason, when he became the first player in MLB history to hit a home run in six straight playoff games, including long balls in all four games of that year's NLCS sweep of the Cubs.

From there, Murphy transformed into a more complete hitter after signing on with the rival Washington Nationals prior to 2016, and turned in a career year in his first campaign in the nation's capital. The second baseman finished 2016 as the NL MVP runner-up to former Cub Kris Bryant, hitting 25 home runs and compiling 104 RBI alongside 47 doubles and a .985 OPS, both of which led the senior circuit.

While Murphy's 2017 season didn't quite measure up to the lofty performance of the year prior, he remained one of the club's primary offensive weapons, leading the NL with 43 doubles and turning in a .322 batting average and 136 OPS+.

The veteran began his brief stint on the North Side after a rare August trade sent Murphy to the Cubs in exchange for a minor-league infielder and a player to be named later or cash. Murphy provided a boost for the Cubs' lineup down the stretch, compiling 12 extra-base hits across 35 games with a .800 OPS.

The visions of Murphy soothing the postseason wounds of Cubs fans from three years prior were quickly diminished, as the Cubs were eliminated in the NL Wild Card Game to the Colorado Rockies. In Murphy's lone playoff game as a Cub, he finished 0-for-4 with a walk.

Following elimination from the playoffs, the Cubs opted not to retain Murphy on a new deal, leading the veteran to sign a two-year deal with the same club who eliminated the Cubs in the postseason, the Rockies. Murphy's offensive production saw a significant drop in 2019, with his 89 OPS+ marking the first time he had recorded an OPS+ below the league-average 100 since 2009, his first full season as a big-leaguer.

The pandemic-shortened 2020 season didn't treat Murphy any better, as he struggled to a .236/.275/.333 offensive slash line with just six extra-base hits across 40 games and 123 at-bats. Murphy was granted free agency after the season, and later announced his retirement in 2021.

Murphy's comeback bid with the Long Island Ducks may not result in an eventual return to the big-leagues, but it does allow the long-time veteran to show what may be left in the tank as MLB teams will look to add depth as the season progresses.

The Long Island Ducks are one of 10 teams in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which the Ducks have competed in since 2000.

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