Despite the embarrassing start to the season for the Atlanta Braves, the baseball world continues to go on. Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves have been getting a lot of heat after their dreadful opening week of play, but the Braves' GM hasn't slowed down on the transaction page. As you have probably heard by now, Atlanta is the only winless team in baseball as they return home with an 0-7 record.
With sadness reaching critical levels, Alex Anthopoulos continues to turn over every stone he can in hopes of quickly turning the 2025 season around. Yesterday, Anthopoulos made another small trade to enhance their organizational depth as he does quite often. However, this trade came at a position that wasn't necessarily viewed as a "lacking depth" spot, and that move may have foreshadowed another move the front office will make in the coming weeks.
On Thursday evening, the Braves announced a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates where Atlanta sent Pittsburgh cash in exchange for catcher Jason Delay. To make room on the 40-man roster, Reynaldo Lopez was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Delay was immediately optioned to Double-A. The news also announced that veteran reliever Jesse Chavez has elected free agency.
The #Braves today acquired C Jason Delay from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for cash considerations, and optioned him to Double-A Columbus. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred RHP Reynaldo López to the 60-day injured list. Atlanta today also outrighted…
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 3, 2025
Trade for Jason Delay could signal Braves will keep Drake Baldwin in majors once Sean Murphy returns
Primary catcher Sean Murphy is nearing his return as he began a rehab assignment with Gwinnett earlier this week. Once Murphy returns, fans wondered whether or not the club would keep top prospect Drake Baldwin at the Major League level. Acquiring Delay as catcher depth could signal that is indeed their plan. Because the Braves would likely lose catcher Chadwick Tromp to a waiver claim in this scenario, Delay is welcome organizational depth.
Ideally, most expected 2025 to be a season where Baldwin dominated Triple-A and Murphy bounced back in impressive fashion. However, this season has already thrown a wrench in everything the Braves expected early on. The poor start for the club, and Baldwin's impressive at-bats early on in 2025 seem to be enough for the front office to proceed through the season with both Murphy and Baldwin in Atlanta.
Hopefully those two catchers can form a dynamic duo and lead this Braves offense to some better days. The Braves have their home opener tonight against NL East foe the Miami Marlins, hoping to find a way to secure their first victory of the 2025 season.