Braves Provide Hopeful Update on Sean Murphy's Recovery

The Atlanta Braves' All-Star catcher is progressing at a quick rate compared to what was initially expected

Murphy is still on track in his recovery to return to the Braves | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Sean Murphy has reached a solid benchmark in his efforts to return to the Atlanta Braves lineup. Manager Walt Weiss said on Saturday that Murphy is back to full baseball activities.

No specific timeline was mentioned, but it lines up with some recent comments about where he is at. General manager Alex Anthopoulos recently said that he would start his rehab assignment on April 8. This could point to him having returned in late April, which would have him back earlier than any initial projections had him.

He is recovering from surgery to repair a hip injury he sustained late last season. This is the second year in a row that he has started the season on the injured list. If you include his oblique injury from 2024, it's the third straight year he's missed time early on.

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.

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. After that, he struggled until he was finally shut down with about a month left in the season.

We'll have to see how he looks after his hip heals, but he has a precedent, even if he can be feast or famine, that he can contribute when at full strength.

The important note is that he is on track to be back with plenty of season left. The Braves have a six-game homestand at the end of April. There are three games against the Phillies and three against the Nationals. That is the likely window in which Murphy could be activated. By that point, he will have missed between 26 and 32 games.

That still gives him a chance to get over 100 games played this season. That estimate is meant to factor in when he may not be in the lineup for matchup reasons. Between the missed time and platooning with Drake Baldwin last season, he played in 94 games.

The Braves are set to host the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, looking to pick up their first series win of the season. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. with Reynaldo López on the mound.