After Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy returned from injury, the veteran went on an impressive run. Quickly vaulting himself into the team's home run leaderboard, Murphy quieted an increasingly loud portion of the fanbase that believed it was time for Drake Baldwin. This meant no disrespect to Murphy, but pointed out the inescapable reality of an exciting young player who was shockingly polished to begin the season.
As Murphy's production has waned, the debate has reignited and now will become inescapable after Baldwin's series-clinching heroics. The catcher replaced Sean Murphy late in Thursday's series finale against the Reds, earning an at-bat in the 11th inning that would provide the fatal blow. The hit would push the Braves one game short of .500 and give the team a great series win against a surprisingly tough Reds club.
It's Becoming Impossible for the Braves to Keep Drake Baldwin Out of the Lineup
How do the Braves continue to give Sean Murphy the bulk of the starts? If the step back in offensive production continues, there isn't any choice but to put Baldwin back into the starting lineup and have Murphy take a backseat. As controversial as this might be, it is the right decision for a club that must do everything in its power to push the team in the right direction.
If we're objectively looking at recent performance, it should be Drake Baldwin who is earning the bulk of the playing time. For a franchise facing a myriad of depth issues, it is a welcome problem to face. Both players remain under contract for the foreseeable future, giving the Braves what should be the best catching duo for the next handful of seasons.
The flip side of this could be arguing for a surprise Sean Murphy trade to land another star for Atlanta's lineup. It would be an extremely risky decision to move away from a building block that has helped stabilize the team in recent seasons. However, the Braves must consider it based on the overwhelming amount of needs and the promise of Baldwin.
Thursday night's game-winner was bigger than one win, it was further proof that the Atlanta rookie is ready and deserving to take that next step. Atlanta's problem is going to come in how they choose to create those deserved at-bats with Sean Murphy's hefty contract and the proven value of the veteran. It will be an interesting situation to monitor as Atlanta's recent turnaround continues.