Sean

Murphy

Murphy was diagnosed with a cracked left rib back on March 3 and was originally expected to miss 4-6 weeks. The 30-year-old backstop will require a couple weeks to increase baseball activities and get his timing back at the plate, but he appears to be on track for a mid-April return. It’ll be top prospect Drake Baldwin handling the catching duties for a couple weeks during his absence. It’s unclear how the catching mix will shake out afterwards, especially if Baldwin gets off to a strong start at the dish.

That means that Murphy is all but assuredly going to miss the start of the regular season. The 30-year-old will likely return in the middle of April, and it could mean Drake Baldwin opens the 2025 campaign as Atlanta’s regular catcher.

The deal is now official. It’s a decent landing spot for d’Arnaud, who launched 15 homers in 99 contests last year for the Braves. The 35-year-old veteran backstop, who hit free agency last week after Atlanta declined his $8 million club option for 2025, figures to serve as starter Logan O’Hoppe’s primary caddy in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, his official departure paves a clear path for top prospect Drake Baldwin, who has looked impressive recently in the Arizona Fall League, to potentially make Atlanta’s season-opening roster.

We wondered if the Braves might stick with d’Arnaud here, but they’re keeping with the regular-season scheme. Aside from d’Arnaud’s stint on the paternity list last month, he and Murphy have strictly alternated games. The last time either started two in a row was Aug. 31-Sept. 1, when d’Arnaud played back-to-backs. The Game 2 lineup: CF Michael Harris II, 2B Ozzie Albies, DH Marcell Ozuna, 1B Matt Olsen, RF Jorge Soler, LF Ramón Laurearno, 3B Gio Urshela, C Murphy, SS Orlando Arcia.

With two games on tap, it’s highly likely the Braves will have Sean Murphy catch game two, but it will be d’Arnaud, who hit a walk-off home run on Saturday night, who gets the start in game one. The rest of the Braves lineup is exactly as it has been for the last week.

It has been a trying season for Murphy, but his long ball was arguably the biggest hit of the Braves’ entire season to this point. He broke up a 0-0 tie in the fourth inning and that was all Max Fried would need as he made mince meat of the Royals’ lineup. The homer was just Murphy’s 10th of the season to go along with a paltry .197 batting average.

d’Arnaud was put on the Paternity List on Monday, but he’ll move right back into a timeshare with Sean Murphy, who went just 2-for-17 with one home run and four RBI while starting the last four games. Chadwick Tromp was sent to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

It’s been a really difficult season for the veteran catcher, who is slashing just .209/.291/.369 with nine home runs and 22 RBI. Unless he pulls away from a timeshare with Travis d’Arnaud, he’s hard to roster in one-catcher formats.

D’Arnaud could miss the next three games and return after the off day Thursday. Sean Murphy is catching for the Braves tonight, and Chadwick Tromp was recalled to serve as the backup.

It’ll be the fourth straight game off for d’Arnaud, who was hit by a pitch on the wrist during last Saturday’s game against the Angels. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. It’ll be Sean Murphy handling the catching duties once again in his absence.