Thanks to Drake Baldwin's emergence, Atlanta Braves fans are quick to forget how good a player Sean Murphy can be when he is right. Criticism of how Murphy has dealt with some obscure injuries during his Braves tenure, and the fact that his bat has been very Jekyll and Hyde at times, is certainly fair.
However, no one in Atlanta's organization will ever be quoted as having a knock against Murphy's defense, ability to handle a pitching staff, or his stand-up nature as a good teammate. If Murphy returns from his latest injury and struggles offensively, there will certainly be noise around his value. Thankfully, Murphy's rehab assignment is going superb, and if he returns to All-Star Sean Murphy form, it could be just what the Braves so desperately need.
#Braves C Sean Murphy caught nine innings again on Thursday for Triple-A Gwinnett and collected two more hits. It's his third straight multi-hit game.
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) July 31, 2026
Murphy is now batting .438 on his current rehab assignment.
Sean Murphy is scorching hot in Triple-A, and could be the perfect lefty masher the Braves really need
It's been well discussed at this point, but the return of Ronald Acuña Jr. is not enough to mask Atlanta's struggles against left-handed pitching. Murphy returning to his 2023 form would be an ideal remedy for those struggles. The great news is that Murphy is looking the part while on his rehab assignment for Triple-A Gwinnett. Murphy is batting a cool .438 on his rehab assignment, collecting three straight multi-hit games, and showcasing some opposite field power to boot.
Murphy just progressed to the point where he caught consecutive nine-inning games, so his return could be approaching rather quickly. Murphy only got 14 at-bats in 2026 before the unfortunate finger injury, but if he returns and is contributing at the plate, it will be rather easy to pencil him in against left-handed pitchers.
Murphy has a career 114 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers, and while that may not sound impressive, keep in mind the Braves have a 91 wRC+ against southpaws this year. That mark places them 23rd in all of baseball. If Austin Riley can't get results against lefties, perhaps a rejuvenated Sean Murphy is the man for the job.
Alex Anthopoulos should be looking to add a quality bat regardless, but if the Braves fail to do so, there is a world where you can talk yourself into Murphy being a key addition for this team offensively.
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