Braves Catcher Sean Murphy Taking Small, Positive Steps Toward Return

The Atlanta Braves All-Star catch is still months away from his return, but he's inching closer in the right direction

The Braves' catcher is slowly working his way back from an injury | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The spring training docket turns to live games, but Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy remains missing in action. The 2023 All-Star continues his recovery from a hip injury, but all signs point to him being in the right direction.

Murphy was spotted in cather's gear catching Spencer Strider's side session on Saturday ahead of the spring training opener against the Tampa Bay Rays. Weiss added that the veteran catcher is taking things one step at a time

"Murph's right where he needs to be," Weiss said on Saturday. "He looks great. Walking around. He's progressing little by little. They're giving him a little more at a time. He's checking all the boxes along the way."

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He's touched a bat. Weiss said that Murphy has done some light swinging off a tee so far. Over time, work his way into something closer to what he does at 100%.

At the start of spring training, he was held to jogging and some light running. Now, he's starting to have a more well-rounded routine in his recovery. He's expected to be back by May. While he's already doing certain workouts and activities, they're not going to push him too hard, too fast. He still has to build up and condition, have actual batting practice with a ball thrown to him.

Then, he has to have a rehab assignment where he can see time in a live game before being activated. With his injury history, they're going to go as slow as they can with him.

The last two seasons have seen Murphy struggle with one injury after another. First, it was the oblique. Then, it was the cracked rib, and now, the hip injury that required season-ending surgery.

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. 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.

He'll still be back with plenty of season left. In the meantime, Drake Baldwin is once again the full-time starting catcher to start the season. Jonah Heim was brought in to back him up while Murphy is out. What his role will be after that is to be determined. That will likely depend on how well he does in the interim.