Major League Baseball

Nationals 2B Murphy returns to Citi Field to face Mets

Published May. 17, 2016 10:15 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

NEW YORK (AP) Back at Citi Field for the first time as an opponent, Daniel Murphy walked into the visiting clubhouse and knew his way around.

Sort of.

He'd been inside that locker room once before when he played for the New York Mets - for a fantasy football draft run by David Wright.

''It was different coming in here,'' Murphy said before the Washington Nationals took on his old team.

Even before stepping into the batter's box against Noah Syndergaard, it had been a good day for Murphy.

Hours prior to the first pitch, Murphy received his 2015 NL championship ring from Mets general manager Sandy Alderson and two assistants during a private ceremony.

''It's big,'' Murphy said, ''and it is really nice.''

Said Alderson: ''None of us would be wearing that ring without his substantial contributions.''

Murphy later took the field for warmups. The Mets were taking batting practice and on his way over to greet them, he stopped for a handshake with a security guard he recognized.

Murphy got loose while the lineups and batting averages were posted on the scoreboard. Pretty impressive - the cleanup man is hitting a major league-best .400 for the NL East-leading Nationals.

Later, the Mets were set to show a video montage of his highlights with them. Murphy wasn't sure what kind of reaction he'd get from the crowd after becoming a free agent and signing a $37.5 million, three-year deal with the Nationals, but he hoped it would be a good one.

As for how the Mets fans would remember him, he said, ''hopefully, they can say I played hard.'' He added, ''I didn't always play well.''

''Dan Murphy should get a very, very warm reception,'' Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Now 31, Murphy spent nearly 10 years in the Mets organization. His highlight came last October, when he set a record by homering in six straight postseason games, launching seven longballs in that span during the NL playoffs.

''I wish I'd cracked a couple of home runs in the World Series,'' he said.

Murphy hit .150 without an RBI in the five-game loss to Kansas City and also committed a couple of errors at second base.

Murphy has stayed in touch with several of his former teammates. Before this first of 19 matchups between the National and Mets, he texted New York lefty Steven Matz to say he was glad to hear the pitcher's elbow trouble wasn't too bad.

Matz also talked to pitcher Jacob deGrom to say he was happy the righty's newborn son had gotten past some health concerns.

''Don't know if that's something I'll ever wash off,'' Murphy said, referring to his relationships with the Mets.

Murphy said it struck him in spring training, when he saw the orange-and-blue uniforms of the Mets across the diamond, that he'd moved on.

He's fine with that, especially with the Nationals holding a 1 1/2-game lead over the Mets in the division.

''The red is growing more comfortable every day,'' he said.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball