Every now and then, a player has a postseason stretch that becomes part of a team’s identity. For the New York Mets, that moment belongs to Daniel Murphy. It’s hard to believe a full decade has passed since his historic tear in October 2015, when Murphy briefly transformed from a steady contact hitter into the most feared slugger in baseball. Even though that run didn’t end with a championship, it left a mark that hasn’t faded. And now, Murphy’s name is resurfacing again, this time on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.
A postseason run that defined an era for the Mets
Murphy’s postseason performance remains the stuff of Mets lore. He punished the Dodgers with a 1.143 OPS in the 2015 Division Series before completely overwhelming the Cubs with a 1.850 mark in the Championship Series on his way to MVP honors. Those two rounds came with seven home runs, each one seemingly bigger than the last. While his bat cooled off in the World Series, his role in getting the Mets there is something fans still talk about as if it happened yesterday.
That stretch also crystallized a version of the Mets that felt fresh at the time. Young pitchers were coming into their own. The energy in Queens was electric. And Murphy, long appreciated for his competitiveness and contact skills, suddenly carried the lineup on his shoulders.
A crowded Hall of Fame ballot welcomes a familiar Mets face
Murphy isn’t entering the Hall of Fame conversation alone. He joins a group of 11 other newcomers, including Ryan Braun, Shin-Soo Choo, Edwin Encarnación, Gio González, Alex Gordon, Cole Hamels, Matt Kemp, Howie Kendrick, Nick Markakis, Hunter Pence, and former Mets pitcher Rick Porcello. It’s a mix of stars, award winners, and respected contributors, and Murphy’s case sits somewhere in the middle.
They’ll merge with the 15 returning candidates, a list that includes former Mets stars Carlos Beltrán and David Wright, plus Andruw Jones, Chase Utley, Alex Rodríguez, Manny Ramírez, Andy Pettitte, Felix Hernández, Bobby Abreu, Jimmy Rollins, Omar Vizquel, Dustin Pedroia, Mark Buehrle, Francisco Rodríguez, and Torii Hunter. Several of these names dominate the conversation every year, and Beltrán enters his fourth ballot with a strong 70.3 percent showing last time, giving him a real chance to reach Cooperstown.
Murphy’s case: admired but unlikely
Nobody watching Murphy in 2015 would forget how locked in he looked. But a plaque in Cooperstown requires more than a single magical month. His career totals don’t stack up to Beltrán’s or Utley’s, and voters often gravitate toward longevity or elite peak value. Murphy finished with 138 home runs, 68 steals, and fewer than 750 runs and RBI. His .296 batting average and .455 slugging percentage tell a fuller story, though, one of a hitter who excelled at making difficult contact look simple.
For the Mets, he was more than his stat line. From 2008 through 2015, Murphy became part of the team’s everyday heartbeat. He hit to all fields, adjusted constantly, and didn’t shy away from big moments. Fans still recall the way he seemed to lift the Mets at the perfect time, even if his truly best years came in Washington.
What January may reveal
The Hall of Fame voting results will arrive on January 20, with any new inductees enshrined on July 26. Beltrán has a strong shot. Murphy is likely to face an uphill battle. But for Mets fans, seeing his name appear on the ballot serves as a reminder of a thrilling run, a player who rose to the moment, and a postseason that won’t ever fade from memory.
And maybe that’s its own kind of immortality.
