Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (rib) will make his season debut on Tuesday evening against the Philadelphia Phillies. Murphy will bat in the eight-hole and be behind the dish. He will have a tough task in his first start, facing Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler. Murphy has been sidelined since suffering a fractured rib during camp. While he was sidelined, rookie Drake Baldwin was given the No. 1 job. However, with Murphy back in action, fantasy managers should expect him to operate as the clear top option in Atlanta, with Baldwin reverting to a reserve role. Last summer, Murphy struggled, as he posted a modest .193/.284/.352 slash line. However, in 2023, he was a valuable catcher in all formats, launching 21 long balls with a .251 average. He will look to rebound to his 2023 form on Tuesday night. He should be viewed as a high-end No. 2 catcher for the time being, but he should be faded in DFS facing Wheeler.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (rib) was activated off the 10-day injured list on Sunday. In a corresponding move, the Braves designated Chadwick Tomp for assignment to open a spot on the roster. Murphy has been sidelined since the start of March after suffering a fractured rib. He recently participated in a rehab assignment at the Triple-A level and should be expected to operate as Atlanta's No. 1 backstop going forward. Last season, Murphy had a disappointing campaign as he posted a .193/.284/.352 line with 10 home runs. However, during the 2023 season, Murphy enjoyed an impressive start to his Atlanta tenure, holding a .251/.365/.478 slash line with 21 long balls. Murphy should be viewed as a high-end No. 2 catcher in two-catcher formats going forward.
Sean Murphy Expected To Be Activated In A Few Days
MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (rib) caught seven innings in a minor-league rehab game for Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday night and will catch right-hander Spencer Strider's (elbow) rehab start on Friday night. Barring a setback, Murphy is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list in one of the next few days. The 30-year-old veteran should be back with the Braves to make his season debut before the end of this weekend's series in Atlanta against the division-rival Miami Marlins. With Murphy beginning the year on the shelf, catching prospect Drake Baldwin has been serving as the team's primary catcher, with Chadwick Tromp working as his backup. Entering Friday's action, Baldwin has just one hit in his first 18 big-league at-bats and could be sent to the minors following Murphy's return. Murphy should be rostered in all fantasy leagues.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (rib) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday, per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Justin Toscano. A rib injury suffered in spring training landed Murphy on the IL to begin the 2025 regular season, but barring a setback once he returns to game action this week on the farm, there's a chance that he could come off the IL when eligible this Friday, April 4. When Murphy does make it back to Atlanta, he could be eased into the starting catching duties, but when healthy, he's the team's unquestioned No. 1 backstop. Catching prospect Drake Baldwin has been serving as the Braves' primary catcher to open the year, with Chadwick Tromp backing him up. In his first three MLB games, Baldwin is just 1-for-11 at the plate with a walk and three strikeouts.
Sean Murphy Set For Rehab Assignment With High-A Rome
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (ribs) is set to start a rehab assignment with High-A Rome on Friday. The 30-year-old has caught up to five innings so far during minor-league games. He has been sidelined since early March with a fractured rib and is eyeing a mid-April return. It's unclear how many rehab games/reps Murphy will need to play before he rejoins the Braves. Murphy struggled last season, slashing .193/.284/.352 with 10 home runs, 25 RBI, 19 runs, and a .636 OPS over 264 plate appearances in 2024. Drake Baldwin will continue to handle catching duties while Murphy is sidelined. Baldwin is off to a slow start, hitting .091 (1-for-11) to start the season, but has plenty of fantasy upside after slashing .298/.407/.484 with 12 home runs and 55 RBI over 72 games with Triple-A Gwinnett in 2024.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (rib) will miss the next four to six weeks due to a cracked left rib, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. As a result, catching prospect Drake Baldwin will have a chance to begin the 2025 regular season as the team's starting backstop. Chadwick Tromp is also on Atlanta's roster at the position, but Baldwin certainly offers much more upside offensively, both for the Braves and for fantasy managers in deeper leagues. The 30-year-old Murphy suffered the cracked rib on a hit by pitch in spring training last Friday, and he'll now be forced to open the season on the injured list. It's a tough break after the former A's catcher missed more than eight weeks of action last year after suffering an oblique strain on Opening Day. Murphy was never really able to bounce back when he returned, leaving fantasy managers now wondering if something similar will happen in 2025.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy is eager for a rebound in 2025 after a disappointing 2024 campaign that saw him slash just .193/.284/.352 with 10 home runs, 25 RBI and 19 runs scored in 233 at-bats. But it was only the year prior in 2023 that he was the National League's starting catcher in the All-Star game. A strained oblique on Opening Day last year played a big part in his poor performance and caused him to miss two months. The 30-year-old hit .251 with 21 home runs and an .843 OPS in his first year in Atlanta, so a bounce-back is entirely possible for the former A's backstop. With Travis d'Arnaud no longer in town, Murphy could end up catching four out of every five games for the Braves in 2025. Savvy fantasy managers can snag Murphy at a discount in drafts this spring while hoping for a bounce-back performance with better health. He's RotoBaller's No. 15 fantasy catcher.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy will not start in Game 1 of the team's big doubleheader on Monday at Truist Park against the division-rival New York Mets. With Murphy resting, Travis d'Arnaud will catch right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach and will bat seventh against Mets right-hander Tylor Megill. In nine career at-bats versus Megill, d'Arnaud is batting .222 with a .555 OPS. The Braves have elected to rest Murphy more in his second year with the team while also missing time with injuries. The 29-year-old backstop was a first-time All-Star in 2023 but has struggled in 71 games in 2024, hitting .194/.280/.353 with 10 homers and 25 RBI in 261 plate appearances. He has just four hits in 45 at-bats (.089) in 13 September games, but two of those hits have cleared the fences. d'Arnaud has been a bit more consistent with a .235 average, 15 homers and 48 RBI in 98 games in 2024.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Minnesota Twins. This appears to be a routine rest day for Murphy who has started in six of the last seven games. It's worth noting that fellow catcher Travis d'Arnaud returned from the injured list over the weekend. He'll do the catching and bat fifth versus right-hander Bailey Ober on Monday. The 35-year-old is hitting .253 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 81 games this season. Between the two, d'Arnaud is the better option in fantasy leagues, but his value is dependent on his playing time.
Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy is resting in Thursday's series finale at Oracle Park against the San Francisco Giants. Veteran Travis d'Arnaud will be behind the plate and will bat fifth against Giants right-hander Logan Webb. Murphy missed a big chunk of time in the first half of the season due to injury and just hasn't been able to get going in 2024 after he was a first-time All-Star a year ago in his first year in Atlanta. The Braves have made a concerted effort to get Murphy more rest to keep him healthy this season. The 29-year-old has hit .261 (12-for-46) with two home runs, a double, triple and only three RBI in 14 games since the All-Star break. d'Arnaud faces a tough matchup against Webb, against whom he's hit just .154 against in 13 career at-bats with a homer and two RBI.
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