The Rangers and outfielder David Murphy could pursue a multi-year contract during spring training according to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.
The club agreed to a one-year, $5.775 million contract with Murphy for this season on Monday, avoiding arbitration. The club and player discussed a longer contract but decided to wait until after the arbitration deadline.
Murphy was a third-year arbitration eligible player this offseason, and he will be eligible for free agency next season. Murphy is one of a handful of players the Rangers identified as candidates for a multi-year extension, Rangers associate general manager Thad Levine told Sullivan.
Murphy, 31, set a career high in games played at 147 and hit .304/.380/.479 (124 OPS+) for Texas in 2012. The lefty was typically relegated to a platoon role until last season -- he has an .841 career OPS against right-handed pitching compared to a .675 mark against lefties -- but he appears to be the Rangers' full-time left-fielder barring another addition before spring training.
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