Most White Sox fans probably have no idea who Penn Murfee is. His name sounds more like a 19th-century poet than a 21st-century baseball player. But the 30-year-old right-handed reliever has gone from a waiver claim afterthought to a potential fixture in the White Sox bullpen thanks to his fast start in spring training.
Murfee’s Past MLB Success
A former 33rd-round pick in 2018, Murfee is new to the White Sox organization but not new to MLB. In fact, he has a relatively large sample size of being a quality bullpen arm at the major league level. In 80 appearances out of the bullpen with the Seattle Mariners in 2022 and 2023, Murfee pitched to a respectable 2.70 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 3.29 FIP, and 9.9 K/9. He is a primarily two-pitch pitcher, with his sweeper and four-seam fastball being his bread and butter. His sweeper, in particular, has graded out very well in the past per Baseball Savant run value and is the driving force behind his past MLB success. Opposing batters hit just .037 against Murfee’s sweeper in 2023, and he generated a 42.4 whiff% with that pitch that year.
Injury Issues
Unfortunately, like many other pitchers, injuries derailed Murfee’s very promising career. He had surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament in June 2023 and did not pitch in MLB at all in 2024. He only made one minor league appearance last season, allowing four runs in less than an inning of work for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the low A affiliate of the Houston Astros.
Fresh Beginning With White Sox
Murfee’s career trajectory looked to be headed south until the White Sox claimed him off waivers last November. What felt like an insignificant move at the time seems like a potential steal now. Murfee has been great in a small spring sample. He has struck out six batters over three innings without allowing a run in three appearances. His unique arm slot and sweeper have befuddled opposing hitters in Arizona so far. One can’t look into a small spring training sample size too deeply, but it is a promising development that he appears to be healthy again.
Ok Penn Murfee. 👀 pic.twitter.com/etV8J83wFy
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) February 28, 2025
Penn Murfee shaved the stache 😭 but I guess he’s fine still pic.twitter.com/bkits1nKnb
— mars ^_^ (@halfmoonhigh) February 26, 2025
Intriguing Bullpen Option
Murfee’s performance on the mound has never been the problem, which adds to his intrigue. He has a track record of being good at the MLB level. The Astros parted ways with him because he was hurt, not because of his lack of ability. The White Sox took a chance on him in the offseason and could reap the rewards of that decision. Murfee is in the thick of the race for a spot in the White Sox and is enjoying the competition. He also has four more cheap years of team control remaining, so he isn’t simply a one-year bandaid on a bad team. If he performs well enough, he could become a cog in the White Sox bullpen over the long haul or maybe even a trade chip.
Murfee’s Underdog Story
Penn Murfee is one of the more interesting relievers in White Sox camp this year. He will have to prove his worth the rest of the spring to earn his spot on the Opening Day roster. Given how he has performed thus far and the fact that he is already on the 40-man roster, he should like his chances. He is a player worth watching as he looks to continue his underdog story and defy the odds.
