NFL
By: Kristen Ashly
Though the health status of catcher Sean Murphy still remains up in the air, the Atlanta Braves are still positioned to dominate the NL East.
Last Saturday, during a game against the Colorado Rockies, Murphy tweaked his hamstring while running for a double and left the game with hamstring tightness.
Sean Murphy is testing his hamstring with multiple drills. Another positive sign. If he reacts well, he could avoid the injured list. pic.twitter.com/Q0SzlPfW44
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 20, 2023
His subsequent MRI showed only signs of slight hamstring irritation, creating hope for a swift return for the star catcher.
Tuesday, prior to the start of the Braves’ series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Murphy tested the health of his hamstring on the field. Mark Bowman of MLB.com reported Braves manager Brian Snitker admitted Murphy was “feeling better” after drills, but was cautious not to commit to a return date.
Snitker told Bowman, “Whenever they tell me (Murphy’s) ready to go, I’ll put him back in there.”
Snit acknowledged Murphy (hamstring) is feeling better. But he also wouldn’t commit to when the catcher might return to action. He said, “Whenever they tell me he’s ready to go, I’ll put him back in there.”
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 20, 2023
The outlook is positive, however; it’s widely-believed Sean Murphy will avoid the injury list and could be back in action sooner than later.
Though Murphy is a crucial part of the Braves’ lineup, the team is sitting pretty with their other position starter, Travis d’Arnaud. Last year, d’Arnaud was named to the 2022 All-Star game roster. Though d’Arnaud missed a month earlier in 2023 due to a concussion, the catcher came back strong, hitting a two-run homer, his 100th home run, against the Rockies on Friday, also currently sitting on a .763 OPS for the season.
While d’Arnaud is filling in for Murphy, Chadwick Tromp was added to the active roster to serve as an option behind d’Arnaud. The roster movement leaves the Braves without a backup infielder.
Murphy leads NL catchers in All-Star votes in what is easily his career-best offensive season. Murphy also touts MVP-like stats, topping the list of NL catchers in season OPS at .920, and ranking high among league catchers in home runs (12) and batting average (.287)
The Atlanta Braves currently sit at first place in the NL East. The Marlins sit behind the Braves five wins.
