Giants $8.25M Star Accuses Team’s Doctors of Destroying His Baseball Career With Malpractice

Usually, signing a two-year, $8.25 million contract shows stability and confidence. However, for the Giants and their catcher, it meant medical chaos. He missed the 2024 season because of a knee ailment, and just when he thought he would finally play— a back injury (herniated disc) sidelined him for the 2025 season, and he is pointing fingers at the doctors.

The catcher is Tom Murphy. During spring training, he began rehab after being told he had a small oblique strain, but scans subsequently showed that the underlying problem was a herniated disc in his mid-back. To make matters worse, surgeons injected the incorrect disc during therapy, which made his recuperation take longer and caused severe muscle spasms that lasted for hours. And he didn’t mince words while talking about the injury.

As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, Murphy stated, “It is 100% malpractice.” He also shared about how bad it went, “I’ve had a lot of different emotions about all this to say the least. The first two months afterwards, I couldn’t do anything physically and also I was dealing with this malpractice going on and I was in the worst place mentally I’ve ever been in my life. I really was very debilitated and felt like I couldn’t live the normal life I wanted to live after baseball at that point.”

The physical toll has been terrible. Murphy is used to be known for his big, muscular body, but he has lost 30 pounds since his injury and thinks he is only using half of his typical strength. That’s always troubling for a catcher, the most physically demanding position in baseball, and could jeopardize his career. Before the injury, Tom Murphy had played 13 games, and hit .118 (4-for-34) with one double, one home run, two RBIs, and a. .235 slugging percentage for the Giants in 2024.

The mental pain has been just as bad. Murphy said the first two months after his injuries were the hardest of his life due to physical challenges and perceived medical negligence. It made him feel “very debilitated” and made him wonder if he could live a regular life after baseball.

The Giants catcher also remarked, “I feel like I’ve been through every ounce of negative emotion that you could wrap around this.” He further added, “I’m just not happy about it. I’m embarrassed, resentful, angry, you know, like all these things.”

At 34, time isn’t on his side, and every day he spends healing is another day closer to retirement. We don’t know if Murphy will take legal action, as he said, “It’s just kind of on me whether I do anything or not.”

Before this medical nightmare ruined his time with the Giants, Murphy was known for being a clutch player whose career was finally on the rise.

Murphy’s Peak: The Power Surge That Made the Giants Take Notice

Tom Murphy put up some great numbers before his San Francisco Giants chapter and all the injuries. Over the course of nine seasons in the big leagues, he played for the Colorado Rockies, the Seattle Mariners, and now the Giants. He had a solid .239/.310/.448 line with 49 home runs and 128 RBIs in 945 at-bats.

Murph had a breakout year in 2019, hitting 18 home runs in only 75 games with the Mariners. That jump in slugging showed off his natural power and gave a peek at what he could do when he was totally healthy. He kept hitting well in 2022–23, with averages of .303 and .290 with OPS lines in the .870–.890 area, which are very good for a catcher.

He was known for being tough and reliable behind the plate, in addition to his numbers. Even though he wasn’t constantly in the spotlight, his knowledge of pitchers and commanding the defense was quite useful.

Tom Murphy’s future with the San Francisco Giants is uncertain as he deals with medical problems and deep frustration, calling the process “an absolute nightmare.” With surgery, rehab, or maybe even legal alternatives available, one question remains: can he still make a comeback, or is this the end of his career?