Here we go again? Let us hope not. The 2024 Atlanta Braves “injury parade” got started in game one of the regular season, with catcher Sean Murphy straining an oblique muscle and missing several months. After the Murphy injury, Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr both followed in the month of April with season-ending injuries.
But to answer the question, I would say no. The silver lining surrounding this most recent injury for Murphy, is that he has fractured ribs, which is a painful injury, but will heal faster than a muscle strain. The ribs will heal (barring any re-injury), and the pain will subside. Whereas, with any muscle strain, re-injury chances and prolonged pain often linger, sometimes the entire season. Another silver lining surrounding this Sean Murphy injury, is the Spring Training emergence of Braves catching prospect. Baldwin has twelve official at-bats in this young Spring Training, and is hitting .333 with an .884 OPS. The Braves also still have 29 yr-old catching prospect Chadwick Tromp in camp, who hit a respectable .250 in 52 at-bats filling in last season. With an injury timetable of 4-6 weeks for Murphy, he may not miss much, if any, of the regular season. But even if he does, Baldwin and Tromp should provide effective fill-in duties until Murphy returns. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss Sean Murphy’s injury, as well as how the Braves have looked so far in this young preseason.
