After another National League Division Series loss to the Dodgers, the Braves are staring at a familiar problem: too many dollars tied up in one spot, and not enough margin everywhere else. That’s why Sean Murphy should be on the trade block this offseason.
Atlanta scored only eight runs in four games, and the pitching staff had to survive two bullpen games in the series. That’s not the kind of profile that leaves much room for error in October. If the Braves want a roster that holds up better in the postseason, they have to think harder about how they allocate money behind the plate.
Drake Baldwin gives them a real reason to do it. Across 138 games in 2026, he hit .284 with a .358 on-base percentage, 25 home runs, 79 RBIs and an .817 OPS.
That’s the kind of offensive production that lets a team build with more confidence at catcher. Atlanta doesn’t need to wait for Baldwin to prove himself; the numbers already say he’s ready for a bigger role.
Murphy’s season was a different story. In 33 games, he hit .182 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and a .556 OPS, while striking out 37 times in 121 plate appearances.
The obvious caveat is health. Hip surgery and a fractured left middle finger interrupted his year, so those numbers don’t tell the whole story.
They do, however, force the Braves to ask a hard question about what they’re paying for. Murphy will make $15 million in 2027 and another $15 million in 2028, and his deal includes a $15 million club option for 2029 with no buyout. That’s $30 million in scheduled salary over the next two seasons, a heavy investment for a player whose availability and production both come with real uncertainty.
The idea wouldn’t be to dump him for pennies just to say the money is gone. Atlanta would need to be realistic about the return. A modest prospect package could be enough if the salary relief meaningfully opens up other options, but the Braves can’t assume another team will simply absorb the full contract.
If a deal comes together, the payoff would be roster flexibility. Baldwin could catch more often, while other bats could move through designated hitter more freely. That kind of flexibility matters when a team is trying to manage a long season without wearing out its lineup or its catcher.
The Braves would still need a veteran backup, because handing Baldwin the job full-time doesn’t mean ignoring the grind of the position. And any trade has to be judged against the cost of replacing Murphy, not just the salary coming off the books.
That’s the real calculation here. Atlanta has a young catcher producing like a cornerstone, an expensive veteran coming off an uneven season, and a chance to shift resources toward areas that need help. If the Braves can find the right structure, moving Murphy could be one of the cleaner ways to make the roster more balanced.
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