THE SEASON OF SACRIFICE
ATLANTA, GA—For Sean Murphy, the 2025 season wasn’t just a battle against opposing pitchers—it was a grueling, 162-game war with his own body. As the calendar turns to late December, the “sad news” in Atlanta isn’t a new injury, but the sobering realization of just how much the Braves’ star backstop sacrificed to stay on the field.
After undergoing season-ending surgery in September to repair a labral tear in his right hip, Murphy is currently in the heart of a four-month rehabilitation process. The surgery revealed a “hidden truth”: Murphy had been grinding through the hip issue for nearly three seasons, a testament to his toughness that ultimately came at the cost of his offensive production.
A TALE OF TWO HALVES: THE BAT VS. THE BODY
While Murphy remained a “wall” defensively—ranking in the 94th percentile for blocks above average—his offensive numbers became a “story of pain.”
- The Spring Setback: His year started in the training room after a fractured rib in Spring Training sidelined him for the season’s opening weeks.
- The Summer Surge: Upon his return, there were flashes of the 2023 All-Star. By mid-July, Murphy had clubbed 16 home runs and was maintaining a respectable .823 OPS.
- The August Collapse: As the hip injury worsened, the “doubt” in his swing became visible. Murphy spiraled into a catastrophic 4-for-59 slump late in the summer, seeing his batting average crater to a career-low .199.
BY THE NUMBERS: THE 2025 TOLL
| Metric | 2025 Totals | The “Hidden” Context |
| Games Played | 94 | Failed to reach 100 games for the 2nd straight year. |
| Batting Average | .199 | Plummeted from .233 during the late-season slump. |
| Home Runs | 16 | All 16 came before July 13th; zero thereafter. |
| Defensive Rank | Elite | Still top-tier in framing and caught-stealing rates. |
| The Payout | $15M Salary | Part of a 6-year, $73M deal that runs through 2028. |
THE RISE OF THE HEIR: DRAKE BALDWIN
Murphy’s “season of doubt” opened a door that may never fully close. Rookie phenom Drake Baldwin capitalized on Murphy’s time on the IL, batting .276 with 15 home runs and capturing the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year award.
As the Braves look toward 2026, the catching dynamic has fundamentally shifted. General Manager Alex Anthopoulos has hinted that while a healthy Murphy is a “much better player,” the team is prepared to transition into a 50/50 split between the veteran and the rookie to protect Murphy’s longevity.
“He tried to manage this for three years,” Anthopoulos noted. “The fact that he was still the best defensive catcher in the league while playing on one hip is legendary. But for his sake, and ours, it was time to fix it.”
