Daniel Murphy's prolonged status as a free agent has ended as the veteran second baseman agreed to a three-year, $37.5 million deal Thursday night with the Washington Nationals, according to reports.ESPN was the first to report the deal. Fox Sports reported the value of the contract.Murphy, 30, was a cog in the New York Mets' World Series run. He set an MLB record with home runs in six consecutive games and was tapped as the National League Championship Series MVP.
While he expressed a preference to remain with the Mets, where he played for his first six-plus seasons, Murphy rejected the one-year qualifying offer from the organization that was worth $15.8 million and opted for free agency.Murphy slashed .281/.322/.449 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) while hitting 14 home runs and driving in 73 runs during the regular season. He is a career .288/.331/.424 hitter with 62 home runs and 402 RBI in 3,354 at-bats.His addition will slide Anthony Rendon to third base on a full-time basis. Rendon appeared at second base in 59 games last season, while getting 28 games at third base.The Nationals will forfeit their first-round pick, 18th overall, in the 2016 draft for signing Murphy. The Mets will gain a compensation pick between the first and second rounds.A.J. Perez, USA TODAY Sports
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