Daniel Murphy Injury: Updates on Mets Star's Hamstring and Return

The New York Mets have already had their share of bad news this spring, so an injury to All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy isn't what the team needs right now. Unfortunately, the human body doesn't pay attention to team needs, as Murphy has been diagnosed with a pulled hamstring. 

Continue for updates. 

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Murphy Will be Active on Opening Day

Saturday, April 4

Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reported that Murphy will be active on Opening Day.

On March 27, Rubin provided comments from manager Terry Collins, who spoke about Murphy's status:

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He's running out of time," Collins said. "... We don't have a lot of time. I'm going to talk to Dan tomorrow. We don't have a lot of time to get him ready. I got word of what he did today, and we certainly have to speed it up a little bit. So I'm getting a little concerned he's not going to have enough time.

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On March 24, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said he was  "hopeful" that Murphy would be ready for the team's Opening Day matchup against the Washington Nationals, according to Mike Vorkunov of NJ.com. Vorkunov added, "Murphy will need to accrue at-bats before the season begins and when he is healthy enough to do so. He will resume baseball activities Wednesday."

Speaking on his potential return, Alderson said, "I think it's still going to be a week or two weeks. The doctors have said he's day to day, I don't really think that's case, but it's going to be somewhere in that week to two week timeline."

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MRI Reveals Pulled Hamstring

Friday, March 20

Marc Carig of Newsday reported that Murphy will miss at least a week with a pulled hamstring. On March 19, Jared Diamond of The Wall Street Journal revealed Murphy was injured while running the bases during the Mets' game against St. Louis:

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Daniel Murphy suffered right hamstring tightness while running the bases.

— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) March 19, 2015"

Murphy has been one of New York's best hitters over the last three years, recording at least 166 hits and 37 doubles every season since 2012. He made his first All-Star team in 2014, providing stability at second base for a franchise that's still looking for help on offense. 

As long as Murphy is ready to play on Opening Day, no one with the Mets will panic about him leaving a spring game. It's still not good news for a team that is starting to build expectations thanks to a talented young pitching staff—even with the likely season-ending injury to Zack Wheeler and the return of Matt Harvey.