Murphy signed a professional baseball contract with the San Francisco Giants in 1982 and played four years in the minor leagues for the Giants, San Diego Padres, and for two independent teams.[1]
Coaching career
Collegiate coaching
Murphy served as the head baseball coach and assistant football coach for the Maryville College Fighting Scots in 1982 and 1983.[2] In 1985, he was hired as head baseball coach and assistant football coach for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags.[3] He was hired by the University of Notre Dame as the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team on July 11, 1987.[4] Murphy guided the Fighting Irish to a 318–116–1 (.732), including consecutive trips to NCAA regional finals in 1992, 1993, and 1994.
Murphy was hired by Arizona State University (ASU) as the head coach of the ASU Sun Devils baseball team in 1995. The Sun Devils won the Pac-10 Conference championship in 2000 and consecutive Pac-10 championships in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Twice in that same decade, Murphy had teams finish in the top 3 in the country; a feat matched by only ten other schools. Murphy's ASU teams were consistently present in the national top 25, including a streak of 100 consecutive weeks in the polls that lasted from 2000 until the middle of 2005. Murphy led the Sun Devils to the postseason for nine consecutive seasons and 11 of 12 seasons. His teams set an NCAA record of not being shut out in 506 consecutive games between 1995 and 2004, shattering the previous streak of 349.[5]
Murphy became the youngest collegiate coach to reach 500 career victories in 1998.[6] In 1998, he won Baseball America's Coach of the Year award and was Pac-10 Coach of the Year four times (2000, 2007, 2008, 2009). He led ASU to the College World Series four times (1998, 2005, 2007, 2009).
On November 20, 2009, Murphy resigned in the middle of an investigation of ASU's baseball program. It was initially reported that the resignation was his own decision. However, in December 2009, The Arizona Republic reported that on the day of his resignation, Murphy had been given an ultimatum: resign or be fired.[7] The NCAA's investigation found Murphy innocent of violations regarding student-athlete employment and recruiting, reprimanding him solely for treating investigators with a "cavalier attitude". The ASU athletic department was faulted for lack of institutional control, however, resulting in the baseball program being sanctioned and banned from postseason play in the 2012 season, as ASU was a repeat offender.[8] Murphy's career record at ASU was 629–284–1.
Murphy returned to manage the Dutch national team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Under him, the Netherlands finished fifth with a 3–4 record, missing the medal round but winning against Cuba, which up to that point were undefeated in Olympic competition. Three of his players, Robert Eenhoorn, Hensley Meulens, and Evert-Jan 't Hoen, would later manage the Netherlands team.[9][12]
San Diego Padres (2010–2015)
In February 2010, Murphy was hired by the San Diego Padres as a special assistant to baseball operations.[13] Murphy skippered the Padres' Northwest League affiliate, the Eugene Emeralds, as their manager for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, as the Emeralds had consecutive league-best overall season records.[14] While in Eugene, Coach Murphy compiled a 93–47 record (.664 pct).
Murphy managed the Tucson Padres of the Triple-APacific Coast League (PCL) in 2013 and the El Paso Chihuahuas of the PCL in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, the Milwaukee Brewers wanted to hire Murphy as a major league coach on Craig Counsell's coaching staff; Murphy coached Counsell at Notre Dame. The Padres refused to allow him to join the Brewers, even though it would constitute a promotion.[15]
On June 16, 2015, Murphy was appointed interim manager of the San Diego Padres after former manager Bud Black was fired.[16] Immediately after the season, the Padres announced that Murphy would not be retained as manager.[17]
Milwaukee Brewers (2015–present)
After the 2015 season, the Milwaukee Brewers hired Murphy as bench coach for Craig Counsell's coaching staff; Murphy was Counsell's coach during his playing career at Notre Dame.[18] On June 11, 2023, Murphy filled in as manager for Counsell, who missed the game due to his son's graduation. The Brewers won the game 8–6.[19]
After the 2023 season, Counsell accepted the managerial position for the Chicago Cubs. On November 16, the Brewers promoted Murphy to serve as their new manager.[20][21][22]
Before the 2024 season, some analysts and reporters predicted the Brewers would finish low in the NL Central due to Counsell’s departure, the loss of several players including star pitcher Corbin Burnes, and Murphy’s limited experience as an MLB manager.[23][24][25] Under Murphy, however, the Brewers exceeded expectations. On September 18, the Brewers became the first team to clinch a postseason spot and won the NL Central.[26] They finished the regular season with a 93–69 record, tied for the fourth-best record in baseball, and played the New York Mets in a Wild Card Series. Milwaukee lost to the Mets in 3 games.[27] For the unexpected success despite significant injury troubles and starting pitching woes, Murphy was awarded the NL Manager of the Year Award, the first Brewers manager to earn this distinction.[28]
In 2025, Murphy led the Brewers to the best record in the league and in franchise history, going 97–65 and winning the NL Central.[29][30] The Brewers faced the rival Cubs in the NL Division Series, ultimately winning the series 3–2.[31] They would go on to be swept 4–0 by the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.[32] Murphy was again awarded NL Manager of the Year.[33]
National championPostseason invitational champion Conference regular season championConference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season championDivision regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion
Personal life
Murphy's daughter married Pedro Álvarez in 2011.[35][36] Murphy had a son, Kai, born to his second wife in 2000. As of September2025[update], Kai plays as an outfielder in the Padres' organization.[36]
Murphy has divorced twice, with his first divorce in the 1990s and the second in 2000. He also has sons born circa 2015 and circa 2019 and has shared custody of both.[36]
Murphy had a heart attack at a team workout in July 2020. He was hospitalized and implanted with a stent before being discharged.[37] He returned to the team in September.[38]
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