Braves Catcher Sean Murphy's Rehab Assignment Postponed

The return of catcher Sean Murphy to the Atlanta Braves will have to wait. The Gwinnett Stripers announced that he had his rehab assignment postponed due to a family matter.

He was scheduled to play a rehab assignment game on Friday, April 10, when the Stripers played a game against the Nashville Sounds. Additional details beyond it being a family matter have not been disclosed.

Murphy is working his way back from his recovery from hip surgery. He recently saw action in High-A Rome when he participated in a sim game last week. He was shut down with a month left to play last year to undergo the procedure.

Initially, he was expected to be ready for spring training, but that expectation changed by December. However, the expected timetable has moved back a bit. He was expected to be back sometime in May, and now there is a chance he could be back later this month.

For now, Drake Baldwin is the starting catcher, while Jonah Heim is backing him up. Baldwin is seeing action at the designated hitter spot in the lineup, and Murphy is expected to do the same once he is back and healthy.

Heim could potentially stick around as a third catcher to use for late-game substitutions.

When healthy last season, he looked as good as ever at the plate. As late as July 20, he was batting .240 with an .845 OPS, 16 home runs and 38 RBIs. In his final month of action that season, he slumped once the hip gave out.

The Braves are set to begin a homestand when they take on the Cleveland Guardians for a three-game series over the weekend. Bryce Elder is on the mound for the series opener. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m.