CATCHER CHAOS AND THE MURPHY QUESTION
The Atlanta Braves are stepping into Spring Training facing a storm of hope, tension, and a little bit of chaos. The uncertainty stems directly from the status of star catcher Sean Murphy, who underwent season-ending surgery on a right hip labral tear in September 2025.
While the Braves are hopeful Murphy will be ready for the start of the 2026 season, the team won’t have a clear idea of his timetable until January. If Murphy isn’t ready, the entire roster blueprint—which revolves around splitting time between two elite catchers—is thrown into question.
The spotlight shifts directly to Drake Baldwin, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year (2025). Baldwin’s emergence (19 HR, 80 RBI, .274 AVG in 2025) has already complicated the catcher situation. He is the potential stopgap, but the Braves’ plan is to play both catchers regularly, rotating them between Catcher and Designated Hitter. An injured Murphy disrupts this plan, leaving Baldwin vulnerable to workload issues.
THE OUTFIELD JUGGLE: FINDING AT-BATS
The need to find playing time for multiple players is forcing a massive outfield juggle, primarily because the team opted not to sign a full-time designated hitter after Marcell Ozuna’s departure.
- Yaz’s Impact: The Braves recently signed veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year, $23 million deal. Yastrzemski (nicknamed “Yaz”) will rotate into left field primarily against right-handers.
- Profar’s Pivot: This move forces Jurickson Profar, who played left field last season, to fill in as a situational DH. Profar, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Baldwin are all expected to take turns rotating through the DH spot to maximize their offensive contributions.
This is a roster “weather front” driven by the team’s commitment to rotational flexibility. Every plate appearance for Yastrzemski or Profar must be balanced against the potential need to give a star like Acuña or Austin Riley a partial rest day at DH.
A SEASON OF UNPREDICTABILITY
President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos must make sharp, calculated decisions to survive a season that is beginning to feel more unpredictable by the day:
- The Big Gamble: Betting on Murphy’s full, healthy recovery is a huge gamble, given he admitted to dealing with the hip issue for three years.
- The Baldwin Dilemma: If Murphy misses time, the Braves risk overworking their young star, Baldwin, in his first full season.
- Offensive Consistency: Juggling four primary outfielders/DHs (Acuña, Harris, Profar, Yaz) plus Baldwin leaves the lineup without a fixed identity, risking offensive inconsistency.
The Braves are stacked with talent, but their attempt to win on the margins by avoiding a dedicated DH and banking on injury returns leaves them walking a fine line between brilliance and chaos.
