Patrick Murphy, the replacement foreign player for 'long-term foreigner' William Cuevas, completed his adaptation to Suwon KT Wiz Park just four days after his contract announcement.
KT Wiz officially signed Murphy (30) for a salary of $277,000 (about 300 million won) on the 11th to replace Cuevas. With Cuevas struggling to a record of 3 wins, 10 losses and an earned run average of 5.40 in 18 games this season, KT took a bold step by investing about 300 million won to bring in a replacement player ahead of the second half of the season. The goal for KT, which finished the first half with a record of 45 wins, 3 draws, and 41 losses in 5th place, is to achieve their second championship in the 2025 season.
Murphy, a right-handed pitcher born in 1995, made his Major League Baseball debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020 and has since played for the Washington Nationals and Texas Rangers, ending up with a total of 35 games (no starts) without a victory, with a 3-loss record and an earned run average of 4.76 (39⅔ innings, 21 earned runs). He has played 9 seasons in the minor leagues, recording a total of 202 games (95 starts) with a record of 34 wins, 33 losses and an earned run average of 3.47 (630 innings, 243 earned runs).
Murphy ventured into Japanese professional baseball in 2024, gaining experience in Asian baseball. At that time, wearing the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters uniform, he recorded 1 win, 2 losses and an earned run average of 3.26 in 40 games. This season, he was performing well in the minor leagues Triple-A with a record of 1 win, 2 losses and an earned run average of 3.18 in 14 games (2 starts) when he received KT's offer, leading him to spend the remaining second half in Korea, a foreign land.
Director General Na Do-hyun of KT expressed his expectations, saying, "Murphy has strengths in his fastball and knows how to throw a variety of pitches, including two-seam, cutter, and curve. I hope he can serve as a focal point of the pitching staff based on his good stuff."
According to KT's management, Murphy has already arrived in Korea and is preparing for the second half of the professional baseball season that resumes on the 17th at Suwon KT Wiz Park. Murphy is expected to join the existing rotation of Enmanuel De Jesus, Ko Young-pyo, So Hyung-jun, Oh Won-seok, and Bae Je-seong, becoming the final piece of the 6-starter system envisioned by manager Lee Kang-cheol. However, due to his limited starting experience, he plans to focus on increasing his pitch count for now. Since KT already has a well-established starting rotation, the buildup is expected to proceed in a relatively relaxed atmosphere.
In an interview with the club’s official channel 'Wiz TV', Murphy explained, "I found out last week that KT was interested in me, and I thought it was a very good opportunity. Knowing that KT is in the playoff race, I thought it would be good to join, so I made the decision." He added, "I heard information from players who have played in the KBO League, and when the second half starts, I will communicate with my teammates and staff to show my best performance."
When asked about his strengths, he said, "I have been throwing the ball in the U.S. for the past few weeks, so I feel really good physically. My fastball velocity and effectiveness are excellent, and I have a big curve. I also throw sliders and changeups. I can handle batters well," showing confidence.
Regarding his home stadium, he smiled contentedly, saying, "I've been to many new and old ballparks in the U.S. and Japan, but now that I've trained at Wiz Park, the field conditions are good, and the facilities are well organized, so I'm looking forward to it."
Murphy's immediate challenge is to adjust to the time difference, especially as his 19-month-old baby is struggling with sleep. He said with a smile, "It’s my first time in Korea, but since my child is having a hard time adapting to the time difference, my wife and I wake up at 3:30 a.m. We need a nap. I feel a bit sleepy right now."
Murphy's goal for the second half is, of course, KT's advancement to and victory in the Korean Series. He stated, "I've heard that KT is in contention for the fall baseball playoff spots. Also, I’ve heard that the balance between old and new players is good, so if I do my best in my part, I believe the team will finish the season well." He added, “I am grateful to the team for giving me this opportunity, and I will do my best to win as many games as possible, so the team can advance to the Korean Series and win. I ask for the support of the fans."
[OSEN]