Overview
- The club passed on Murphy’s $4 million option for 2026, issued a $250,000 buyout, and announced his free agency on Monday.
- Murphy’s Giants tenure was limited to 13 games after a 2024 knee injury and a 2025 herniated disc that he rehabbed at home in upstate New York.
- He previously described his time with the team as “an absolute nightmare,” alleging a misdiagnosed back injury and ineffective outside-clinic treatment; those are his claims with no public resolution reported.
- Knizner finished 2025 as Bailey’s backup but is arbitration-eligible after hitting .221 with a .598 OPS in 33 games, while Rodriguez, already on the 40-man and added to the taxi squad in late September, drew praise from Buster Posey for his defensive progress.
- Given Murphy’s age (34) and recent injuries, coverage projects his market to center on a minor-league deal with a spring-training invite rather than a guaranteed contract.