In his first live action since he went down with a cracked rib injury, Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy flashed some power at the plate.
In his first at-bat, Murphy blasted a two-run shot to open scoring.
We don't mean to alarm you, but…
SEAN MURPHY JUST HIT A 415ft @SoFi BOMB TO STRAIGHTAWAY CENTER.
2-0 Stripers. Carry on. pic.twitter.com/qFcQqQSCZq
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) April 1, 2025
The start to the season, especially the last 36 hours, have been brutal for the Braves, so having their all-star catcher hit a home run in his first at-bat of his rehab assignment should be a breath of fresh air.
Murphy finished the day 1-for-4 with the home run and two RBIs. As a nice touch, he didn’t strike out.
Murphy was hit by a pitch in a Spring Training Feb. 28, causing the rib injury. He was officially placed on the 10-Day Injured List ahead of the regular season on March 25. His stint on the IL is retroactive to the day before he went on it.
Murphy was healthy for Opening Day last season but essentially started on the Injured List anyway. He suffered an oblique injury during the first game of the regular season and didn’t return for nearly two months.
Once he returned, he struggled at the plate for the remainder of the season. In 72 games played, he batted .193 with a .636 OPS, 10 home runs and 25 RBIs. The previous season, he was an All-Star for the Braves.
Murphy is participating in his second career rehab assignment with the Stripers. He played in four games for the club last season during his rehab assignment, batting .278 with two home runs, four RBIs and a .983 OPS.
Once he’s back, the Braves will likely slide him back into his usual role. Ahead of Spring Training, Murphy was projected to play in four-fifths of games this season. While Baldwin could eat into some of that playing time, there’s little doubt he’s going to remain a factor this season.
The Braves will hope he can return and provide some spark. The Braves are 0-5 to start the season and went nearly three games without scoring a run. At this point, anybody could and likely can help.
