The Atlanta Braves have an interesting problem to solve in the 2026 offseason at the catcher position. Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin's breakout campaign has brought up obvious questions when it comes to how much value the Braves now place on Sean Murphy. The question here isn't whether Murphy carries future value, but how much Atlanta's front office is willing to spend to keep him in town.
Murphy has had two years straight of bad offensive numbers and now will be out for the rest of the season after it was announced that he would be undergoing hip surgery. It will be four months of rehab, putting a potential return in line with Atlanta's 2026 spring training. Some fans might feel confident in a comeback next year, but that doesn't change that 2025 should be the final year of Murphy's career with the Braves.
Braves Will Be Forced to Trade Sean Murphy After 2 Years of Injury Struggles
The Braves simply cannot pay top dollar for a defensive catcher who cannot hit when they have Baldwin behind home plate.
The first-year C is already worlds better at the plate than Murphy and a bargain in comparison. Atlanta's ownership group and front office have been increasingly cheap over the last half-decade, leading to the departures of Max Fried, Freddie Freeman, and Dansby Swanson. It goes much deeper than their exits, though, as the Braves refuse to spend on depth pieces or build out the bench.
Atlanta has been content to simply sit back and lock up young players long-term early on and trust its front office to fill in holes as they go. This has completely failed, and if the Braves aren't going to drastically increase spending, blockbuster moves are going to need to be made, starting as early as this winter.
Trading away Murphy opens up a lot of salary space you can use to patch the bullpen and rotation. These were incredibly glaring issues throughout the 2025 season and something the front office is going to need to spend on to fix. If this spending is going to remain limited, Murphy can be dealt and likely bring back an impact player in return, even as the backstop is coming off a season-ending injury.
It isn't only the cap space that factors into the need to make a deal, but the catcher's declining production at the plate. Murphy's brief hot streaks are often followed by painful slumps, resulting in his struggling around the Mendoza line for the last two years. Showing zero ability to hit, situationally striking out, or failing to put the ball in play is why the Braves shouldn't hesitate to move on.
Atlanta's inconsistent lineup can be pinned on these types of performances, not only from Murphy but also from a number of other key contributors as well. The Braves need a reset, and turning the page away from Murphy and embracing Baldwin as the future of the position is the best way to start the process.