Blue Jays: Patrick Murphy finding his rhythm in New Hampshire

While the Blue Jays have a lot of offensive prospects that get talked about on a regular basis, there are a few arms worth being excited about too, and Patrick Murphy is one of them.

Patrick Murphy, the Blue Jays # 17 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, turned in another quality start yesterday afternoon for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

Over seven innings, the 23-year-old right-hander allowed just one run, one hit, one walk and fanned ten.

After allowing 12 earned runs through his first four starts of the season, Murphy has really turned things around, dropping his ERA from 6.11 to 3.35. Over his last four starts he has thrown 28 innings, allowing just five earned runs and posting some impressive strikeout to walk ratios.

Here is a comparison of his first four starts compared to his past four.

First four starts: 17.2 IP, 19 H, 12 ER, 8 BB, 18 K

Past four starts: 28 IP, 12 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 32 K

The bottom numbers are the Patrick Murphy Dunedin fans became accustomed to watching last season when he posted some of the best stats in the organization among their young pitchers.

He started 26 games in Dunedin last year, throwing 146.2 innings with an ERA of 2.64 and even got a start in Double-A New Hampshire where he allowed two runs and struck out six over six innings.

Of the nine pitchers who find themselves among the Blue Jays top 30 prospects this year, outside of Nate Pearson, Murphy has the best ERA at 3.35 and the lowest batting average against at .181.

Murphy’s workload has increased each season since 2016 as he’s slowly progressed through the organization but despite the promotions and added innings, the numbers have only gotten better. He tossed 90.2 innings with a 3.18 ERA in 2016, 106.2 innings with a 3.04 ERA in 2017, and 152.2 innings last season with a 2.65 ERA.

With four starting pitchers currently on the Injured List and still the potential of starters Marcus Stroman and/or Aaron Sanchez being moved by the end of the season, Murphy could be one of the top pitching candidates to join the club down the stretch.

His track record, durability and seeing Sean Reid-Foley struggling big time this year, it would be no surprise to see Murphy potentially get a start in a Blue Jays uniform before the season ends and even MLB Pipeline has his estimated time of arrival pinned at 2019. He is also already listed on the clubs 40-man roster.

Only time will tell but for now, Murphy is giving the organization no choice but to continue moving him up the ranks.