Nationals' Daniel Murphy: Exacts vengeance on Mets

Murphy went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run homer and a walk against the Mets on Thursday.

Analysis:

In this three-game set -- Murphy's first time facing the Mets after seven seasons in blue and orange -- the second baseman went 4-for-11 with four RBI, exacting some measure of vengeance on his old team for choosing not to retain his services after last season's playoff heroics. Those numbers would have been even better if not for Juan Lagares' spectacular, Willy Mays-esque catch of a Murphy drive to center field earlier in the series. The 31-year-old has refined his approach brilliantly this year -- no, the strikeout rate isn't as low as last year's absurd 7.1 percent, but Murphy's swinging with authority, as evidenced by his hard-hit rate, which is comfortably at a career-high level right now.