Since being reinstated from the injured list on April 8th, Braves catcher Sean Murphy has provided a shot in the arm to a lineup that desperately needed it. While just about everyone else is off to a sluggish start at the plate, Murphy cannot say the same. He wasted no time after returning, homering off Phillies ace Zack Wheeler in his first at-bat back.
Welcome back, MURPH!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/wWCCAcTEmE
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 8, 2025
Murphy, 30, followed this performance with two more homers on Saturday against Tampa Bay, a welcome sight for a team starving for power. Most importantly, Atlanta was able to pick up rare wins in both games. There’s little competition, but Murphy has looked like the Braves’ best hitter in a very small sample size. He’s also provided his trademark excellent defense since his return.
Bad news for another Braves catcher
Sean Murphy’s early success is great for the Braves, but it has not been good for all the Drake Baldwin fans. In a surprising move, Atlanta elected to DFA Chadwick Tromp when Murphy returned and kept Baldwin in the big leagues as the backup catcher. Most expected the Braves to option Baldwin in order to continue his regular at-bats. Instead, he has ridden the pine while Murphy has started five out of the six games since returning.
Murphy starting the getaway game on Sunday is a good indicator of the Braves’ plan for him the rest of the year. That is to utilize him as much as possible, health permitting. Rather than the last two years, when Atlanta went with more of a true platoon at catcher with Travis D’Arnaud, Murphy appears ready to handle the lion’s share of starts this year. This would be more similar to his usage in 2022 as a then-Oakland Athletic, when he appeared in 148 games.
This leaves the up-and-coming Baldwin in a tricky position. The Madison, Wisconsin native has never played anywhere but Marcell Ozuna occupies catcher in his professional career, and the DH spot. Using a backup catcher as a late-inning pinch-hitting option is always dicey, and the Braves have already shown a tendency to go with backup outfielders like Eli White and Stuart Fairchild in those situations. As long as he sticks on the major league roster, manager Brian Snitker will have to be creative to get him semi-consistent at-bats.
The catcher position is in a good place.
There are a few positives to identify with this team, but the catcher position appears to be one of them. The Braves boast one of the best duos in the league, with a proven veteran who appears to be over his past injuries, complemented by a promising prospect.
Given his career track record and recent success, Murphy should continue to start as much as possible. But Baldwin remains the team’s catcher of the future and was much more impressive in his brief cameo as the starter than his surface-level stats suggest. While he went just 5 for 30, he ranks in the 99th percentile in hard hit percentage and has a .347 xwOBA compared to his .222 actual wOBA. He also looked better than expected on defense, showcasing his elite throwing arm more than once.
Make no mistake, this conundrum is a positive for the Braves. Amid a dismal 4-11 start, having a surplus of solid options at any position is very good. Murphy will continue to be counted on heavily in the offense and behind the plate, while Baldwin waits in the wings.
Main Photo Credits: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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