After an injury shortened 2024, where an Opening Day injury set Sean Murphy for the entire season, the Braves and the All-Star catcher hoped to use 2025 as a reset to bounce back. Unfortunately for Atlanta, that doesn't look like it will happen.
Still four weeks out from Opening Day, the Braves announced the Murphy has a cracked rib and will now miss the next four to six weeks. With Murphy out, the Opening Day catcher spot is now up for grabs, and could allow top prospect Drake Baldwin to sneak onto the 26-man roster.
Sean Murphy will miss 4-6 weeks with a cracked left rib. Drake Baldwin will have a chance to begin the season as Atlanta’s starting catcher
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) March 3, 2025
How the Sean Murphy injury changes the Braves' catching plans
Fortunately for the Braves, the timing of Murphy's injury likely means he won't miss as much time as he did last year when he strained his oblique during his third at bat of the season.
The bad news for the Braves is that this injury almost all but guarantees that he'll miss Opening Day, which will require the club to add another catcher to the 40-man roster. Chadwick Tromp, who was expected to make the team out of spring training is the only other catcher on the 40-man roster, while the club also has Sandy Leon, Curt Casali, and Drake Baldwin still in camp as non-roster invitees.
Depending on the severity of Murphy's injury, this may open the door for Baldwin, the team's top prospect who was previously expected to begin the season in AAA regardless of his performance in spring training because of the Braves desire to get him consistent reps in the minors.
With the starting catcher now out, however, this could accelerate his path to the bigs. The Braves could opt to keep Tromp as the backup catcher, while allowing Baldwin to handle the bulk of the catching duties.
If the Braves believe Murphy's injury won't keep him out too long, however, the team could opt for a veteran catcher like Leon or Casali to split the position with Tromp for the week or two Murphy might miss.
Regardless of who gets the Opening Day nod behind the plate, this is most certainly a disappointing setback for Sean Murphy. After returning in late May from his oblique injury, the 29-year-old never found his grove at the plate, finishing the season with a .193/.284/.352 slashline (78 wRC+) and just 0.8 fWAR. Prior to last season, his previous career-worst with at least 100 PAs was a 1.6 fWAR rookie season, where he nearly half the plate appearances.
Hopefully, this injury doesn't linger like his 2024 season, and we can see the Braves catcher return to the level of play that prompted the Braves to make what is quickly turning to a regrettable trade.