Braves' Sean Murphy Fires Strong Message Ahead of 2025 Opening Day

The 2025 regular season has yet to begin, but it already has a Groundhog Day-type feel to it for Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy.

Last year, Murphy suffered a strained left oblique. The injury sidelined him for two months.

On Feb. 28, Murphy sustained a cracked rib on a hit by pitch during a Spring Training game. This ailment is expected to keep the catcher out for 4-6 weeks.

But despite the injury, Murphy isn't waivering in his goal to bounce back this season.

“I’m still the same guy,” Murphy told MLB.com's Mark Bowman. “I just got to get over this little speed bump.”

Bowman reported on March 22 that the Braves cleared Murphy to resume "some baseball activities" this week. In the first few days of that clearance, Murphy has mostly worked defensive drills.

Murphy still doesn't have a return date, but Bowman concluded that it could be less than three weeks until the veteran catcher is ready to return. That assumes everything goes smoothly with his recovery.

To rebound from a disappointing 2024 season, Murphy will have to bounce back much better from injury in 2025. Murphy returned to the lineup on May 27 last year, but he wasn't "the same guy" as 2023.

Murphy hit .193 with a .636 OPS in 72 games last season. Both of those statistics were career worsts.

In 2023, Murphy slashed .251/.365/.478 in 108 games as he made his first All-Star team.

Murphy could potentially have more adversity to return to his 2023 level. With Murphy expected to miss the first two weeks of the season, Braves top prospect Drake Baldwin is set to make his MLB debut.

Baldwin experienced a strong enough camp that he could have made the Braves roster even without Murphy's injury. But with Murphy out, Baldwin will serve as Atlanta's primary catcher to begin the season.

If Baldwin starts his MLB career strongly, then Murphy may have to earn back his regular role behind the plate.

Murphy, though, is confident that his recovery will go well and that he will be his 2023 self again.

"I’m real disappointed to miss [Spring Training], but this is a lot easier to recover from," Murphy told Bowman.