New pitcher for KT Wiz blessed to be playing after injury setbacks
New KT Wiz pitcher Patrick Murphy poses for a photo after an interview at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, July 15. Yonhap
About a month after celebrating his 30th birthday, American pitcher Patrick Murphy finds himself in Korea as the new starting pitcher for the KT Wiz in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
He is no stranger to Asia, having pitched for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball in 2024.
He went back to the United States this year to pitch for the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A affiliate for the Texas Rangers. And when a chance came up to pitch for a club in pursuit of a KBO postseason spot, Murphy jumped at it.
"When they called, I was talking with my wife, and it was a good opportunity," Murphy told Yonhap News Agency after throwing a 25-pitch bullpen session at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, some 30 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday. "I was in Triple-A with Texas, but I was like, '(The Wiz) are in a playoff push, and they want me to help.' So I am happy to join."
The Wiz announced their signing of Murphy last Friday, having him take over from slumping starter William Cuevas for the rest of the season. They are holding down the fifth and final postseason spot at the All-Star break at 45-41-3 (wins-losses-ties).
Given his history of injuries, Murphy is happy to be pitching anywhere at this point in his career.
Murphy was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third round of the 2013 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. It was a year after the right-hander had undergone Tommy John surgery to repair elbow ligament damage, and the procedure and the subsequent rehab forced him to miss the entire 2013 season.
Murphy logged just four innings in the Rookie League in 2014 before being shut down with numbness in his hand and arm. He had surgery to remove a rib that was believed to be pinching a nerve.
And after the rib removal failed to relieve the tingling and numbness in his right arm, Murphy had another surgery to remove a nerve in his elbow. He did not pitch again until 2016.
Patrick Murphy of the KT Wiz pitches in the bullpen at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, July 15. Yonhap
"It's a lot of different challenges and a lot of adversity," Murphy said, looking back on his injury history. "I had three surgeries. It was hard, but baseball, my whole life, has been my dream, and now it's just a great opportunity for me to keep playing. I've built my family for them to travel the world with me and continue to support me. Being able to play this game with them, it's a blessing."
Murphy was drafted as a starter, but throughout his professional career, he has pitched more games in relief than in starts. He has had a few seasons in which he was asked to do both.
As comfortable as he may be with both roles, Murphy said, "I prefer to start."
"I'm happy that I get the opportunity to do that, to go deep in the game and have a chance to help the ball club," Murphy added. "I came up as a starter in America so I'm very familiar with starting."
Murphy is one of a handful of former Blue Jays players to make their way to the KBO. Murphy only had a cup of coffee with them, making four appearances in 2020 and eight more in 2021, before being waived and then selected by the Washington Nationals.
During that short time with the Blue Jays, Murphy played with Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, who is now in his second season back with the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO.
Murphy won't have to wait long to reunite with his former MLB teammate, with the Wiz set to host the Eagles for a four-game series starting Thursday to begin the second half of the season.
"I remember his walkout song. The Korean Monster," Murphy said, dropping Ryu's nickname. "He had a famous walkout song that we would all play in the clubhouse in Toronto. So I'm excited to say hello. He was a great teammate, and he was always having fun, laughing and joking around with the guys. I wasn't there with him long, but the short time I was around him, he was good to everybody."
It wasn't immediately clear when Murphy will make his KBO debut. Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul said Murphy will be eased into the rotation. They will have Murphy throw about 30 pitches in his first start and about 45 pitches in the next one before pushing him to a full starter's workload.
For Tuesday, at least, Murphy enjoyed being out on the mound pitching again.
"The bullpen (session) itself was OK, not great. But I felt good to just kind of throw with the Korean baseball because it's a little different and also get back on the mound," he said. "With the travel, it's been about seven to 10 days since I'd thrown. So good to feel the ball, feel the mound, be outside with the guys and get ready for this weekend."