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Braves send Joey Bart packing in trade with White Sox, foreshadowing Sean Murphy's return

Jul 8, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Atlanta Braves catcher Joey Bart (16) circles the bases on a two run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Jul 8, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Joey Bart (16) circles the bases on a two run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When the Atlanta Braves brought in Joey Bart, the Braves' catching situation was dire. Sean Murphy was on his second significant injury of the season and Drake Baldwin was out with an oblique issue. While Bart didn't exactly light the world on fire and he was one of the worst ABS challengers in baseball, he did provide some stability during a difficult time for Atlanta at the very least.

However, with Murphy set to return from his finger injury relatively soon and Baldwin already getting the lion's share of the playing time at catcher now that he is back, there was little need for Bart. Alex Anthopoulos seemed to agree and traded Bart to the upstart White Sox.

Braves clear out their clogged catching depth and trade Joey Bart to the White Sox

For those that have been trying to wait patiently for the Braves to add a playoff-caliber starter, this trade is of little comfort. However, that the Braves got anything of value at all for Bart has to be considered a win considering how he has performed.

That said, Duncan Davitt isn't exactly a prize. He barely has any time in the majors and in 21 appearances in Triple-A this season, Davitt has only managed to post a 6.22 ERA. In short, the Braves cleared out their roster a bit by getting rid of Bart and added a fringe swingman to their Triple-A roster. Not the sexiest of moves, but it serves a purpose.

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