Let's make one thing clear: the Atlanta Braves are not about to enter rebuild mode. Yes, the club is an unsightly 12 games below .500 entering the final weekend of the first half, but there is a whole host of reasons for that, many of which can be corrected in one offseason. The corrections could actually begin with some shrewd maneuvering by GM Alex Anthopoulos by this month's MLB trade deadline.
Sean Murphy is one name that has been circulating in trade conversations. On Wednesday, MLB insider and former GM Jim Bowden told Foul Territory that both the Padres and Rays are interested in acquiring the All-Star catcher's services.
The Padres and Rays would like to pry Sean Murphy from the Braves, says @JimBowdenGM. pic.twitter.com/aUTNi8yd0z
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 10, 2025
Braves Have Multiple Trade Suitors for Sean Murphy
Both clubs' desire to add Murphy is perfectly understandable. Each is enmeshed in uber-competitive Wild Card races in their respective leagues and has struggled to maintain consistent, or much of any, production from the catcher spot. Granted, Murphy is only hitting .226 and striking out at a near 33% rate. That's about where the negatives with the Gold Glover stop, however.
Murphy not only measures up with the best defensive backstops in the game, but he has ripped 13 homers in 57 games while slugging a strong .478 across 211 plate appearances so far this season. The 30-year-old's rapid release and arm behind the dish make running on him difficult (30.9 CS%), which is another attractive element of his game. Murphy is also in the middle of a team-friendly contract that keeps him under control for four more years after this season.
SEAN MURPHY GRAND SLAM#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/AXY2WuYC1v
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 29, 2025
The emergence of rookie catcher Drake Baldwin for the Braves this year is certainly another big reason the Padres, Rays, and perhaps other clubs would target Murphy. Still, given all the variables, it makes sense why Anthopoulos might hesitate to trade Murphy over other potential chips. The organization not only invested long-term monetary capital but also a significant amount of trade capital in him a couple of years ago.
There are ways Murphy and Baldwin can coexist on the Braves roster, especially with the likelihood that veteran DH Marcell Ozuna leaves Atlanta this offseason, or possibly even via trade this month. Anthopoulos may still choose to go the route of keeping both catchers. Recent statements from the Atlanta GM hint at that very idea that the Braves will not consider moving any player under control beyond 2025. Whether that ends up being the case remains to be seen.