Thursday, June 12

ATLANTA -- Sean Murphy’s bid to reclaim his status as one of the best catchers in baseball, if not the best, has started in impressive fashion.

Despite missing the first nine games of a season that has included just 24 games thus far, Murphy ranks second among MLB catchers with six home runs.

Before Phil Niekro’s knuckleball and a few errant throws made Dale Murphy an outfielder, he was the only Braves player to hit five homers through his first 12 games of a season as a catcher, doing so in 1979. William Contreras topped that mark in 2022, when he homered six times over his first 12 games played as a catcher. With Travis d’Arnaud serving as the primary catcher that year, Contreras’ first 12 appearances as a catcher spanned from April 9 to June 3.

Now Murphy has matched Contreras because it had been far too long since these two were linked in conversation. Murphy’s revival has at least quieted talk about the “Contreras trade” being the worst in Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos’ career.

While Murphy was enduring the career-worst season that unfolded after he missed two months with the left oblique strain he suffered on Opening Day in 2024, Contreras was establishing himself as the game’s top catcher. He ranked No. 1 at the position when MLB Network revealed its rankings this winter.

This certainly wasn’t envisioned on Dec. 12, 2022, when the Braves acquired Murphy from the A’s in a three-team deal that sent Contreras to the Brewers. The initial thought was that Atlanta gained one of baseball’s most complete catchers and parted ways with a defensive liability who might enjoy a couple of 30-homer seasons.

It wasn’t just some Braves pitchers who complained about Contreras’ catching abilities. Veteran position players voiced the same concerns. It’s a credit to the Brewers for helping him become more than just a hitter who dons the catching gear. Contreras currently ranks first among all catchers with a +3 Fielding Run Value, but he had a below average -1 mark over the entirety of the 2024 season.

As for Murphy, he and Phillies backstop J.T. Realmuto led all MLB catchers with the identical 13.4 fWAR they produced from 2021-23. Still just 30 years old, Murphy has the capability to be that same highly productive catcher for a few more years.

Murphy has seemingly benefited from the sports glasses he recently started wearing to fix an astigmatism. At the same time, he never got comfortable after the oblique injury and ended up producing a .636 OPS in 2024. Was he tentative because he was concerned about aggravating the oblique?

Murphy has never said that. But since a pitch fractured a left rib on Feb. 28, he has repeatedly said returning from a broken bone is far different from distancing yourself from a soft tissue injury. There’s no lingering concern once that bone heals.

Even though he missed most of the season’s first two weeks, Murphy is tied for seventh among catchers (minimum 50 plate appearances) with a 0.5 fWAR. Contreras entered Thursday with a 0.7 fWAR with 50 more plate appearances.

These two will always be linked. But for Murphy, it’s not about being better than Contreras. It’s about proving he’s still as good as it gets among catchers.

MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST

TRIVIA

Who holds the Braves record for most career home runs against the D-backs?

A) Austin Riley

B) Freddie Freeman

C) Chipper Jones

D) Andruw Jones

TIM MCGRAW

Tim McGraw’s hit song “I Like it, I Love It” included the lyric, “I ain’t seen the Braves play a game all year.” It doesn’t look like that will be the case this year for the country music star.

McGraw will headline a pregame concert before the MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 2. This unique event will feature the Braves and Reds playing within the confines of one of NASCAR’s most iconic racetracks.

Ticket options and upgrades that allow fans to get closer to the stage can be found at mlb.com/speedwayclassic.

EARTH DAY

In partnership with Molson Coors, Hands On Atlanta and Decatur Legacy Park, the Braves visited one of Decatur’s historic green spaces on April 15 as part of their Pitch In for the Planet initiative presented by Coors Light. Employees worked together to clear and weed the space, plant local pollinators, beautify fences and plant shrubs at Trellis Horticultural Therapy’s Ability Garden. They also assisted master gardeners at the Moore Chapel Garden, mulched and watered green spaces and more.

The Braves also installed eight garden towers on-site at Truist Park, where a variety of plants will be grown and harvested to use for select ballpark food items throughout the season. Excess vegetables from this initiative will be included in the Braves’ food donation program.

TRIVIA ANSWER

D) Andruw Jones

Jones hit 17 homers in 278 at-bats against the D-backs while with the Braves. Chipper Jones hit 16 (361 ABs) and Freeman hit 15 (241 ABs). Riley may soon own this distinction. He has homered 13 times in just 103 ABs against Arizona.

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