Sean Murphy named NL Player of the Week

The Braves are well on their way to having their starting catcher named to the NL All-Star team for the second year in a row.

A strong 2023 campaign continues for Braves catcher Sean Murphy, as he was announced as the NL Player of the Week on Monday afternoon.

He posted a nine-hit week, for a slash line of .450/.593/1.543, with three home runs and 12 RBIs. Murphy had four multi-hit games, kicking off the week with a two home run, six RBI game to help the Braves sneak past the Mets in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader.

Murphy started 2023 slow, but since Travis d'Arnaud went on the shelf for about a month with a concussion, he's taken off into one of the best catchers in baseball through the first month of the year. He currently ranks second on the Braves in WAR with 1.8 behind Ronald Acuña Jr.
Since d'Arnaud went on the IL in early April, Murphy has hit .300 and has an OPS over 1.100.

His defense has also impressed since taking over nearly full-time duties behind the plate, throwing out five runners on the basepaths. Also notable, he's only allowed one passed ball in 2023.

With d'Arnaud being activated on Monday, Murphy will have a little less weight on his shoulders to carry the catching load. If Travis can pick up where he left off offensively (hitting .300+) before he got injured, Atlanta's offense could reach a whole other level going into a very tough May schedule.

The Braves are back in action on Tuesday night on TBS, hosting the Boston Red Sox for a two-game series at Truist Park in Atlanta. First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET, with Charlie Morton getting the ball for Atlanta, and Nick Pivetta starting for Boston.