Chris Murphy #44

Attended the University of San Diego, going 13-12 with a 3.98 ERA and 267 strikeouts in 43 career appearances (37 starts) over three seasons (2017-19)...Is a 2016 graduate of Granada Hills (Calif.) High School, where he threw two no-hitters...Pitched for Brewster of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2018 and Walla Walla in the West Coast League in 2016 … was teammates with Jarren Duran at Walla Walla...His sister, Ashley, was a softball pitcher at the University of Hawaii … his mother, Jennifer, was a softball player who received an invitation to try out for the Silver Bullets, a women's professional baseball team, but decided to focus on trade school to become an electrician...Has "I play for Jessica" tattooed on his chest and written inside his hat to pay tribute to Jessica Tovar, his former babysitter and close family friend who died of rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, at age 26 on 7/14/12.

2025

Began the season on the 60-day injured list to continue his recovery from Tommy John surgery...Was reinstated on 6/28 after appearing in 11 rehab games (three starts) with Class High A Greenville, Class AA Portland and Class AAA Worcester...Made his season debut that day vs. Toronto, tossing two hitless IP with two walks and two strikeouts in his first Major League appearance since 9/27/23...Threw 7.2 scoreless IP over his first five outings with the Red Sox… allowed seven runs in 13 IP over his next nine outings and was optioned to Worcester on 8/11...Was recalled by the Red Sox on 9/5 after posting a 0.69 ERA (1 ER/13.0 IP) in seven appearances (two starts) with Worcester… was optioned on 9/10 and recalled on 9/12...Earned the win on 9/17 vs. Athletics, striking out the only batter faced to end the top of the 10th inning...Tossed two scoreless IP on 9/25 at Toronto and three scoreless IP on 9/27 vs. Detroit.

2024

Missed the entire 2024 season recovering from surgery performed on 4/10. Made five Spring Training relief appearances, going 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA (9.1 IP, 4 ER, 11 H, 2 HR, 11 SO, 4 BB). Placed on the 60-Day Injured List on 3/28 (left UCL sprain). On 4/10, underwent a successful reconstruction of the left ulnar collateral ligament (elbow)...Dr. Keith Meister performed the surgery at Texas Metroplex Institute for Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery in Arlington, Texas.

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.