Matt Murray, a former second-round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves, passed away at the age of 54 due to complications following surgery, according to ItemLive.com. Murray’s time in Major League Baseball was brief, featuring in just six games between the Braves and the Boston Red Sox. Though short, his career included stints with two division-leading teams. On September 1, 1995, with Atlanta on its way to a World Series title, Murray was traded to his hometown team, the Red Sox. Despite not finishing the season with Atlanta, team owner Ted Turner still presented him with a World Series ring.
In a later interview with the Society for American Baseball Research, Murray recounted receiving the ring from the Braves’ Triple-A general manager while he was playing for the Phillies’ Triple-A team in Richmond. After retiring from professional baseball in 1999, ending an 11-year career, he continued to participate in Braves alumni events. At the time of his passing, he lived in Calhoun, Georgia.
Drafted out of high school in 1988—part of a class that also produced future All-Star pitchers Steve Avery and Mark Wohlers—Murray’s path to the majors was slowed by injuries, including two lost seasons due to Tommy John surgery. He finally made his MLB debut in August 1995, filling a bullpen spot after Steve Bedrosian’s retirement. He played four games for Atlanta before being traded, and two more with Boston, finishing his big-league career with an 0-3 record and a 9.64 ERA.
In 1996, Murray played Triple-A ball with both the Phillies and Braves organizations before continuing his career in independent leagues and spending time pitching in Taiwan. After leaving baseball, he began working for Mohawk Industries in Georgia in 2009, eventually becoming a product director.
Leave a Reply