Lovullo: D-backs catcher John Ryan Murphy to get more playing time
May 31, 2018, 2:26 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks' John Ryan Murphy follows through on a two-run double during the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, May 25, 2018, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
John Ryan Murphy has forced his way into the Diamondbacks’ lineup.
The 27-year-old made the D-backs Opening Day roster as the third catcher expected to fill a similar role that Chris Herrmann did a season ago.
Due to struggles from Alex Avila and Jeff Mathis, who hit a combined .100 in May, Murphy has forced the team’s hand and will be getting more starts behind the plate.
“J.R. Murphy is doing a fantastic job. He’s going to start to get more playing time and that’s something that I have been working through as I’m doing these lineups in advance several days,” said D-backs manager Torey Lovullo on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station Burns & Gambo. “I’m starting to get a good feel for getting his name in there, getting him out there and watching this production.”
The D-backs prefer a defense and pitch-framing oriented catcher behind the plate. Murphy coming through the minor leagues was highly regarded as a strong defensive catcher.
“The offense is great, but I kind of had that ingrained into me coming up with the Yankees organization,” said Murphy on Burns & Gambo. “It was just that catching was going to come first, and the offense was going to come second. So I kind of just learned at a young age and pride myself on what I’m doing behind the plate.”
Murphy is hitting .267 in 75 at-bats this season. He has shown a great ability to hit for power with seven home runs and a .613 slugging percentage.
Lovullo maintained that he won’t be abandoning Avila due to his lack of offensive production, but he will need to see more.
“Alex Avila’s got to step up, he’s gotta get the opportunities and step up,” said Lovullo.
