Houston Astros: Three players to target before the Aug. 31 deadline
By T.A. Mock
Daniel Murphy, 2B/1B/DH, Washington Nationals
This idea may stem from injury fright so, it may not wind up being completely necessary. However, Murphy’s bat could always be worth the addition. In his first two seasons with the Nationals, Murphy slashed .334/.387/.569 to pair with 48 total home runs and 197 RBIs.
He’s come along slowly after missing nearly half the season with an injury but, his bat has come alive in recent weeks. He has regained his pre-injury form and has simply been raking. But, the National are edging further and further away from playoff contention and Murphy is becoming expendable.
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Murphy also has an excellent track record in the playoffs. His 2015 NLCS campaign with the Mets paints a picture of his playoff success. His slash line was .529/.556/1.294. Yeah, his slugging percentage alone was that ridiculous. He also hit four homers in that series. All in all, he has 1.020 OPS throughout his career in the playoffs.
If Altuve’s knee injury lingers, Murphy could be key in the stretch run and off of the bench in the playoffs. If Altuve doesn’t have any ill effects from his injury, Murphy would still be worth it. He could provide depth on the right side of the infield and the designated hitter spot.
Murphy likely won’t cost a lot and the impact he could have for this team in the playoffs could provide some insane pop either in an unexpected start or off of the bench.