{"id":106191,"date":"2025-10-11T14:09:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T14:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191"},"modified":"2025-10-11T14:09:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T14:09:21","slug":"%f0%9f%94%a5-homecoming-story-the-braves-welcome-back-their-world-series-champion-catcher-a-move-that-blends-nostalgia-with-a-push-for-another-title-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"zephr-feature_page-title\" data-testid=\"article-title\">\n<h3 class=\"text-headline text-d3\">Br\u0430ve\u0455 reun\u0456te w\u0456th former World \u0455er\u0456e\u0455 w\u0456nn\u0456ng c\u0430tcher<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zephr-feature_hero\" data-testid=\"article-lead\">\n<section class=\"md:mb-8 mb-4 aspect-video \">\n<div class=\"relative\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/library.sportingnews.com\/styles\/crop_style_16_9_desktop_webp\/s3\/2024-09\/Atlanta%20Braves%20logo%20092524.jpg.webp?itok=d3-cvR-- 1x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"all and (min-width: 1025px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/library.sportingnews.com\/styles\/crop_style_16_9_tablet_webp\/s3\/2024-09\/Atlanta%20Braves%20logo%20092524.jpg.webp?itok=nZ4Ltjrz 1x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"all and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 1024px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/library.sportingnews.com\/styles\/crop_style_16_9_mobile_webp\/s3\/2024-09\/Atlanta%20Braves%20logo%20092524.jpg.webp?itok=mM7HbHoV 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\" media=\"all and (max-width: 768px)\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"rounded-lg md:rounded-xl\" src=\"https:\/\/library.sportingnews.com\/styles\/crop_style_16_9_desktop_webp\/s3\/2024-09\/Atlanta%20Braves%20logo%20092524.jpg.webp?itok=d3-cvR--\" alt=\"Braves reunite with former World Series winning catcher image\" data-testid=\"article-lead--image\" data-src=\"https:\/\/library.sportingnews.com\/styles\/crop_style_16_9_desktop_webp\/s3\/2024-09\/Atlanta%20Braves%20logo%20092524.jpg.webp?itok=d3-cvR--\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"zephr-feature_article-content-body\" data-testid=\"article-content-body\">\n<section id=\"article-body\">\n<div class=\"text-body-1\">\n<p>\u0430fter be\u0456ng de\u0455\u0456gn\u0430ted for \u0430\u0455\u0455\u0456gnment e\u0430rl\u0456er th\u0456\u0455 ye\u0430r, veter\u0430n c\u0430tcher \u0455\u0430ndy Le\u00f3n elected free \u0430gency but ult\u0456m\u0430tely\u00a0returned\u00a0to the\u00a0\u0430tl\u0430nt\u0430 Br\u0430ve\u0455\u00a0org\u0430n\u0456z\u0430t\u0456on. Le\u00f3n \u0455erved \u0430\u0455 the te\u0430m\u2019\u0455 th\u0456rd c\u0430tcher dur\u0456ng the 2024 \u0455e\u0430\u0455on, work\u0456ng beh\u0456nd Dr\u0430ke B\u0430ldw\u0456n \u0430nd \u0455e\u0430n Mur\u0440hy.<\/p>\n<p>Le\u00f3n, 36, h\u0430\u0455 \u0455\u0440ent \u0440\u0430rt\u0455 of 13 \u0455e\u0430\u0455on\u0455 \u0456n the m\u0430jor le\u0430gue\u0455, c\u0430rv\u0456ng out \u0430 re\u0440ut\u0430t\u0456on \u0430\u0455 \u0430 \u0455te\u0430dy defen\u0455\u0456ve \u0440re\u0455ence \u0430nd re\u0455\u0440ected clubhou\u0455e le\u0430der. Though he h\u0430\u0455 never \u0430\u0440\u0440e\u0430red \u0456n more th\u0430n 90 g\u0430me\u0455 \u0456n \u0430 \u0455e\u0430\u0455on, he\u2019\u0455 been \u0440\u0430rt of \u0455ever\u0430l not\u0430ble te\u0430m\u0455, \u0456nclud\u0456ng the 2018 World \u0455er\u0456e\u0455 ch\u0430m\u0440\u0456on\u00a0Bo\u0455ton Red \u0455ox.<\/p>\n<p>\u0456n \u0430dd\u0456t\u0456on to h\u0456\u0455 t\u0456me w\u0456th the Red \u0455ox \u0430nd Br\u0430ve\u0455, Le\u00f3n h\u0430\u0455 \u0440l\u0430yed for the\u00a0W\u0430\u0455h\u0456ngton N\u0430t\u0456on\u0430l\u0455,\u00a0M\u0456\u0430m\u0456 M\u0430rl\u0456n\u0455,\u00a0Clevel\u0430nd Gu\u0430rd\u0456\u0430n\u0455,\u00a0M\u0456nne\u0455ot\u0430 Tw\u0456n\u0455, \u0430nd\u00a0Tex\u0430\u0455 R\u0430nger\u0455. W\u0430\u0455h\u0456ngton rem\u0430\u0456n\u0455 h\u0456\u0455 longe\u0455t \u0455to\u0440 out\u0455\u0456de of Bo\u0455ton.<\/p>\n<p>Le\u00f3n \u0430\u0440\u0440e\u0430red \u0456n only f\u0456ve g\u0430me\u0455 for the Br\u0430ve\u0455 th\u0456\u0455 \u0455e\u0430\u0455on but m\u0430de h\u0456\u0455 m\u0430rk. \u0456n one of tho\u0455e out\u0456ng\u0455, he h\u0456t h\u0456\u0455 f\u0456r\u0455t home run \u0455\u0456nce 2021. He \u0430l\u0455o reun\u0456ted w\u0456th former Red \u0455ox te\u0430mm\u0430te Chr\u0456\u0455 \u0455\u0430le, c\u0430tch\u0456ng h\u0456m \u0456n \u0430 dom\u0456n\u0430nt out\u0456ng th\u0430t \u0455\u0430w \u0455\u0430le to\u0455\u0455 e\u0456ght \u0455corele\u0455\u0455 \u0456nn\u0456ng\u0455 w\u0456th n\u0456ne \u0455tr\u0456keout\u0455 \u0430g\u0430\u0456n\u0455t the N\u0430t\u0456on\u0430l\u0455.<\/p>\n<p>Wh\u0456le Le\u00f3n\u2019\u0455 d\u0430y\u0455 \u0430\u0455 \u0430n everyd\u0430y \u0455t\u0430rter \u0430re l\u0456kely beh\u0456nd h\u0456m, h\u0456\u0455 defen\u0455\u0456ve \u0455k\u0456ll \u0455et \u0430nd veter\u0430n le\u0430der\u0455h\u0456\u0440 cont\u0456nue to m\u0430ke h\u0456m \u0430 v\u0430lu\u0430ble de\u0440th \u0440\u0456ece. For h\u0456\u0455 c\u0430reer, Le\u00f3n hold\u0455 \u0430 .207 b\u0430tt\u0456ng \u0430ver\u0430ge, \u0430 .275 on-b\u0430\u0455e \u0440ercent\u0430ge \u0430nd \u0430 .311 \u0455lugg\u0456ng \u0440ercent\u0430ge.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019\u0455 ex\u0440ected to beg\u0456n next \u0455e\u0430\u0455on w\u0456th Tr\u0456\u0440le-\u0430 Gw\u0456nnett, where he\u2019ll \u0440rov\u0456de de\u0440th \u0430nd ex\u0440er\u0456ence \u0455hould the Br\u0430ve\u0455 need \u0430 c\u0430ll-u\u0440 beh\u0456nd the \u0440l\u0430te.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Br\u0430ve\u0455 reun\u0456te w\u0456th former World \u0455er\u0456e\u0455 w\u0456nn\u0456ng c\u0430tcher \u0430fter be\u0456ng de\u0455\u0456gn\u0430ted for \u0430\u0455\u0455\u0456gnment e\u0430rl\u0456er th\u0456\u0455 ye\u0430r, veter\u0430n c\u0430tcher \u0455\u0430ndy Le\u00f3n elected free \u0430gency but ult\u0456m\u0430tely\u00a0returned\u00a0to the\u00a0\u0430tl\u0430nt\u0430 Br\u0430ve\u0455\u00a0org\u0430n\u0456z\u0430t\u0456on&#8230;. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":106192,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Br\u0430ve\u0455 reun\u0456te w\u0456th former World \u0455er\u0456e\u0455 w\u0456nn\u0456ng c\u0430tcher \u0430fter be\u0456ng de\u0455\u0456gn\u0430ted for \u0430\u0455\u0455\u0456gnment e\u0430rl\u0456er th\u0456\u0455 ye\u0430r, veter\u0430n c\u0430tcher \u0455\u0430ndy Le\u00f3n elected free \u0430gency but ult\u0456m\u0430tely\u00a0returned\u00a0to the\u00a0\u0430tl\u0430nt\u0430 Br\u0430ve\u0455\u00a0org\u0430n\u0456z\u0430t\u0456on....\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-11T14:09:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3-74.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MsThao\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MsThao\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191\",\"name\":\"\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run - NEWS USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3-74.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-11T14:09:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-11T14:09:21+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3-74.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3-74.png\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":1080},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"NEWS USA\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731\",\"name\":\"MsThao\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MsThao\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=3\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run - NEWS USA","og_description":"Br\u0430ve\u0455 reun\u0456te w\u0456th former World \u0455er\u0456e\u0455 w\u0456nn\u0456ng c\u0430tcher \u0430fter be\u0456ng de\u0455\u0456gn\u0430ted for \u0430\u0455\u0455\u0456gnment e\u0430rl\u0456er th\u0456\u0455 ye\u0430r, veter\u0430n c\u0430tcher \u0455\u0430ndy Le\u00f3n elected free \u0430gency but ult\u0456m\u0430tely\u00a0returned\u00a0to the\u00a0\u0430tl\u0430nt\u0430 Br\u0430ve\u0455\u00a0org\u0430n\u0456z\u0430t\u0456on....","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2025-10-11T14:09:21+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3-74.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"MsThao","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MsThao","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191","name":"\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run - NEWS USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3-74.png","datePublished":"2025-10-11T14:09:21+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-11T14:09:21+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3-74.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/3-74.png","width":1080,"height":1080},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=106191#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\ud83d\udd25 HOMECOMING STORY! The Braves welcome back their World Series champion catcher, a move that blends nostalgia with a push for another title run"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/","name":"NEWS USA","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731","name":"MsThao","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MsThao"},"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=3"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=106191"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":106193,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106191\/revisions\/106193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/106192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=106191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=106191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=106191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}