The Atlanta Braves have been pacing the National League to begin the 2026 campaign, as their 32-16 record is worse than only the Tampa Bay Rays, who are leading the way in the American League. Across the board, the Braves are receiving contributions from their players, and they look like a surefire World Series contender.
To this point, Atlanta has done a great job of overcoming injuries, but they are continuing to pile up for this team. On Tuesday morning, the Braves received another crushing injury blow, as star catcher Drake Baldwin, who has been one of the best hitters in the league so far this season, landed on the injured list thanks to an oblique injury.
Braves Place Drake Baldwin on the Injured List
Baldwin burst onto the scene for the Braves in 2024, as he hit .274 with 19 home runs and 80 RBIs to earn the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Finding that sort of production is always great, but to receive it from a player manning the catcher position is always an added bonus.
So far this season, Baldwin has managed to take his game to another level. Through 48 games, Baldwin is hitting .303 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs, which put him on track to be an All-Star, and potentially even an MVP candidate. However, as has been the case for many of the Braves players, the injury bug has caught up to Baldwin.
In Monday night’s blowout 12-0 defeat at the hands of the Miami Marlins, Baldwin was pulled from the game early. Many folks figured the move was made simply due to the score of the game, but as it turns out, Baldwin suffered a strained oblique, which only made this loss tougher to swallow. Now, Baldwin is going to be forced to miss time, as he has landed on the injured list for the next couple of weeks.
“Atlanta, which has overcome injury after injury in their runaway season, now sustain huge blow with MVP candidate Drake Baldwin going on the IL with a strained right oblique muscle,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today shared in a post on X.
Braves Need to Piece Things Together Until Drake Baldwin Returns from Injury
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 16: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves reacts as he rounds third base after hitting a solo homer to lead off the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Truist Park on May 16, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Losing Baldwin hurts, not just because of his production at the plate, but because of his work with the pitching staff behind the plate. The hope is that this won’t be a lengthy stay on the injured list for Baldwin, but he doesn’t have a set timetable for a return, which is always a rather worrying sign.
With Sean Murphy also on the injured list, that leaves the veteran Sandy Leon as Baldwin’s replacement for the time being. Leon can hold his own, but his production isn’t going to come remotely close to what Baldwin has been doing so far this season. Atlanta will look to begin piecing things together until Baldwin can return, and that will start by getting back in the win column against Miami on Tuesday afternoon.
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