Sean Murphy has been a valuable piece of the Atlanta Braves’ catching rotation for three seasons now. One of the best defensive catchers in baseball, Murphy has rotated with Travis d’Arnaud and Drake Baldwin since joining the Braves, both of whom are known more predominantly for their hitting.
Let’s take a look at his performance in 2025 and see how it could impact his future with the Atlanta Braves.
Largely due to injury, Murphy’s plate metrics didn’t look great over this season. He batted .199 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs. The final stats don’t tell the whole story, though, as Murphy struggled with hip and rib injuries in 2025.
After missing time, a healthy Murphy burst back onto the scene. He was still feast or famine at times, but he was still a net positive in the lineup. Heading into August, Murphy batted .233 on with an .823 OPS, 16 home runs and 42 RBIs through 73 games. The Braves were getting what they needed out of him. However, his numbers tanked when he attempted to play through an injury that ultimately ended his season early.
Murphy’s best hitting season to date was a .251 average in 2023, the catcher’s first year with the Atlanta Braves after being moved from Oakland. Since, he’s struggled with a litany of injuries that seem to be the trademark for any Braves player over the last few years.
Despite injury, Murphy’s defense is among the best in the league. He’s in the 94th percentile for blocks above average, the 89th percentile in caught stealing above average and the 80th percentile for pop time.
Overall, a healthy Murphy was on track to have a solid, bounce-back season for the Braves. The inconsistency, at times, can be frustrating, but how his season is viewed could have been reflected upon very differently if injuries weren’t an issue.
Murphy played 94 games for the Braves in 2025, including 76 at catcher and seven as a DH. This bodes well for the future of the team, as they look to determine how the lineup will potentially look if DH Marcell Ozuna isn’t re-signed.
If Drake Baldwin, the Braves’ most recent Rookie of the Year, and Murphy are healthy, the Braves could very well have a balanced catcher and DH rotation that may help the team resurge from their 2025 struggles. It’s not the most ideal situation. Having a full-time DH is the best-case scenario. However, when both are healthy, it’s a setup that can work.
There is always the possibility that he’s traded. However, that will likely depend on how his recovery goes. Teams might not have the confidence to take on his contract if he’s not a healthy, effective addition. That same concern of health will be a factor for the Braves next season, too. Maybe the procedure will help limit future issues, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Murphy’s on a six-year, $73 million contract with the Braves, so the team will have at least three more years with the veteran defender before his club option in 2029.
