Looking at the Atlanta Braves' offseason thus far, it seems obvious that the franchise is going to lean on both Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin during the 2026 season. Barring a trade of Murphy, this sets up the Braves to carry three catchers on the active roster. It doesn't make logical sense to put both of your options at the position in the lineup and not have a fallback in case of injury. With this in mind, the stage is perfectly set for the Braves to consider a reunion with current Los Angeles Angels catcher Travis d'Arnaud.
After failing to hit above the Mendoza line last season on a rebuilding Angels roster, it seems likely the veteran is on the market. There is one year remaining on d'Arnaud's deal at a very reasonable $6 million. It should be noted that the Braves and Angels have an extensive trade history dating back to Atlanta's acquisition of current closer Raisel Iglesias.
Acquiring d'Arnaud makes so much sense for the Braves, not only as a great backup catcher, but he would offer a clubhouse presence that would immediately garner respect. Having the veteran in an important role without needing to rely on his struggling offensive output is perfect for both sides. There is also a clear hole on Atlanta's roster with Chadwick Tromp as the current third option at the position.
Braves Must Consider 2026 Reunion with Fan-Favorite Catcher Travis d'Arnaud
Atlanta has already been extremely aggressive early in the offseason, signing Ha-Seong Kim, Raisel Iglesias, Mike Yastrzemski, and Robert Suarez. The failures of the 2025 season have been noted and are being met with an appropriate sense of urgency. An area of improvement is better leadership and more energy in the Atlanta clubhouse.
Adding d'Arnaud helps both of these issues while offering a potential future coaching option based on his experience with the Braves. For the Angels, a trade makes sense as the franchise continues its attempt to retool its roster and is obviously not a true 2026 contender. For the 37-year-old d'Arnaud, this obviously makes the veteran a potential trade option no longer fitting the timeline of an organization still searching for answers.
The Braves could likely bring in the expiring contract for nothing of note based on the fact that the catcher hit .197 in the 2025 season. Adding to the case that both sides could want a change is the fact that the catcher struck out 74 times in only 213 at-bats.
All of this adds up to a very likely trade, one that the Braves should be interested in taking to take the pressure off having both Baldwin and Murphy in the starting lineup. It provides the franchise with needed bench depth and d'Arnaud the chance to contribute to a contender without facing lofty offensive expectations. It simply makes far too much sense not to explore over the next few weeks of the offseason.