Catcher Sean Murphy has had rotten injury luck since joining the Atlanta Braves via trade prior to the 2023 season. He’s only once played in more than 100 games since becoming a Braves and in 2026 he made his season debut on this past road trip after missing the end of the 2025 season and the start this year due to hip surgery.
In today’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers – at 7-2 victory for the second consecutive day – Murphy was called for a catcher’s interference when Hyeseong Kim’s bat nicked
Murphy and he was replaced behind the plate by Drake Baldwin, who’d been the designated hitter.
The impact may have injured Murphy’s hand more than originally believed. Although initial reports were positive, late Sunday evening Mark Bowman posted that the Braves won’t have an update on Murphy’s injury until Tuesday.
With former Braves catcher Jonah Heim designated for assignment, and then traded to the West Sacramento Athletics when Murphy returned from the IL, if Murphy misses time, the Braves could bring up Chadwick Tromp or Sandy Leon, both veteran backstops have been stashed at Triple-A since the end of Spring Training. If Murphy’s injury causes him to miss significant time, the Braves may be back in the market for a high-end back-up catcher.
Outfielder Eli White, who’s wall-crashing catch in right field with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning prevented the Dodgers from scoring, is in the concussion protocol after exiting the game in the eighth inning, according to multiple reports, including from Bowman.
If White missed a few games, the Braves could opt to activate Ha-Seong Kim ahead of the Chicago Cubs series on Tuesday, since multiple players on Atlanta’s bench can cover the outfield. Kim himself is looking to make his season debut as soon as he is deemed ready after being on a rehab assignment.
Outfielder Ronald Acuńa, Jr., who has been on the IL with a hamstring strain, is eligible to be activated next week, but he may not be ready by the time his 10-day stint is up.
