This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it frequently in your inbox.
ATLANTA — Sean Murphy’s bid to reclaim his standing as among the best catchers in baseball, if not the most effective, has began in spectacular style.
Regardless of lacking the primary 9 video games of a season that has included simply 24 video games to date, Murphy ranks second amongst MLB catchers with six house runs.
Earlier than Phil Niekro’s knuckleball and some errant throws made Dale Murphy an outfielder, he was the one Braves participant to hit 5 homers via his first 12 video games of a season as a catcher, doing so in 1979. William Contreras topped that mark in 2022, when he homered six instances over his first 12 video games performed as a catcher. With Travis d’Arnaud serving as the first catcher that yr, Contreras’ first 12 appearances as a catcher spanned from April 9 to June 3.
Now Murphy has matched Contreras as a result of it had been far too lengthy since these two had been linked in dialog. Murphy’s revival has no less than quieted discuss in regards to the “Contreras commerce” being the worst in Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos’ profession.
Whereas Murphy was enduring the career-worst season that unfolded after he missed two months with the left indirect pressure he suffered on Opening Day in 2024, Contreras was establishing himself as the sport’s prime catcher. He ranked No. 1 on the place when MLB Community revealed its rankings this winter.
This actually wasn’t envisioned on Dec. 12, 2022, when the Braves acquired Murphy from the A’s in a three-team deal that despatched Contreras to the Brewers. The preliminary thought was that Atlanta gained one among baseball’s most full catchers and parted methods with a defensive legal responsibility who may get pleasure from a few 30-homer seasons.
It wasn’t just a few Braves pitchers who complained about Contreras’ catching skills. Veteran place gamers voiced the identical considerations. It’s a credit score to the Brewers for serving to him turn into greater than only a hitter who dons the catching gear. Contreras at the moment ranks first amongst all catchers with a +3 Fielding Run Worth, however he had a beneath common -1 mark over everything of the 2024 season.
As for Murphy, he and Phillies backstop J.T. Realmuto led all MLB catchers with the equivalent 13.4 fWAR they produced from 2021-23. Nonetheless simply 30 years previous, Murphy has the aptitude to be that very same extremely productive catcher for a number of extra years.
Murphy has seemingly benefited from the sports activities glasses he just lately began sporting to repair an astigmatism. On the similar time, he by no means bought snug after the indirect damage and ended up producing a .636 OPS in 2024. Was he tentative as a result of he was involved about aggravating the indirect?
Murphy has by no means mentioned that. However since a pitch fractured a left rib on Feb. 28, he has repeatedly mentioned coming back from a damaged bone is much completely different from distancing your self from a comfortable tissue damage. There’s no lingering concern as soon as that bone heals.
Though he missed many of the season’s first two weeks, Murphy is tied for seventh amongst catchers (minimal 50 plate appearances) with a 0.5 fWAR. Contreras entered Thursday with a 0.7 fWAR with 50 extra plate appearances.
These two will all the time be linked. However for Murphy, it’s not about being higher than Contreras. It’s about proving he’s nonetheless pretty much as good because it will get amongst catchers.
