Braves’ Sean Murphy Set for Surgery, Eyes Return in Spring Training
ATLANTA — Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos announced Monday that catcher Sean Murphy will undergo surgery on Thursday in Nashville, performed by Dr. Thomas Byrd. The seven-year veteran could return to spring training with no restrictions and has a chance to start the season on Atlanta’s 26-man roster.
“He’s tried to manage this the last three years or so, and he should be a much better player once this is resolved,” Anthopoulos said.
Murphy, 30, has battled injuries since earning All-Star honors in his first season with the Braves in 2023. That year, he set career highs with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs. However, injuries have limited him over the past two seasons, keeping him on the injured list and preventing him from reaching 100 games in either campaign.
A left oblique injury sidelined him until late May 2024, and a left ribcage fracture kept him out for the first 10 days of this season. Braves officials now believe the oblique issue may have stemmed from Murphy overcompensating for a lingering hip problem.
Murphy hit 16 home runs this season, though his last came on July 12 against St. Louis. At that point, he posted a .236/.314/.523 slash line. A difficult 4-for-59 stretch in August and September dropped his final numbers to .199/.300/.409. First-year catcher Drake Baldwin, who recorded 15 home runs and 63 RBIs in 106 games, will assume a larger role behind the plate next season.
To bolster depth, Atlanta has selected veteran catcher Sandy Leon’s contract from Triple-A Gwinnett. Leon will be active as the Braves host the Cubs for a three-game series.
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