Sean Murphy is starting to look like himself again, and the Braves finally seem willing to act on it.
Murphy picked up a pair of hits on Friday night and is 5-for-8 over his last two starts, a stretch that comes as September nears. His uptick at the plate also gives Atlanta a chance to move Drake Baldwin to DH, and Baldwin has responded by driving the ball hard again over the last few games.
On Wednesday afternoon, manager Walt Weiss said the Braves’ plan was to play Murphy in at least half of the remaining regular season games. That’s a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t go far enough.
The case for Murphy getting more run is pretty straightforward once you look at Atlanta’s options. If Baldwin is behind the plate and Mauricio Dubon is at shortstop, the list of candidates to occupy the DH spot gets thin fast.
Each game day, the Braves can turn to Murphy, Dominic Smith, Ha-Seong Kim, Brewer Hicklen, or the weak side of the Yastrzemski/Thomas platoon. Among that group, Murphy stands out because his value isn’t just tied to the bat.
His defense is the real separator. The simplest path is to keep Baldwin at DH, put Murphy behind the plate, and let him handle nine innings with that elite glove. He’s an elite blocker, and his game-calling has long drawn praise for the way he helps produce strong pitching performances.
Murphy’s offense is also not so far behind Dominic Smith’s that the Braves should hesitate to play him more. On Friday, he logged exit velocities of 101.7 mph, 103.9 mph, and 107.4 mph on his three batted-ball events.
The timing matters too. Murphy has only 53 plate appearances so far in 2026, so it makes sense that his bat took a while to come around. More regular work should help him settle in at the plate.
There’s already a recent example of what Murphy can still provide. Last season, he posted 2.0 fWAR in just 94 games even with a 97 wRC+, thanks largely to his defense. That kind of production is similar to what Dubon has given Atlanta this year, and Dubon has been in the lineup plenty.
So yes, the Braves have acknowledged they weren’t using Murphy enough. But stopping at half of the remaining games feels timid. With the alternatives available, Murphy should be in there nearly every night.
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Braves Send A Notable Lineup Message With Colorado Series Opening
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Braves May Have Finally Found An Answer At Shortstop
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The expanded run suggests Dubon is no longer just filling in, but getting a chance to show he can handle the job on a more regular basis. The competition is still open in name, yet the pattern of playing time points to a growing level of trust in what he can provide both in the field and at the plate, which is exactly what Atlanta has been trying to find all season. [Read more 🡒]