The 2026 offseason might be the time the Atlanta Braves decide to finally offload catcher Sean Murphy and his six-year, $73 million contract.
After Murphy signed the deal in 2023, he showed early signs of a positive return by being an All-Star.
However, in the last three years Murphy has played, he’s failed to hit above .200 or appear in 100 games for the Braves.
His contract still has $30 million of guaranteed money remaining on it.
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Looking at Sean Murphy’s Contract
Sean Murphy, aside from his solid defensive presence, has been a pretty disappointing player for the Atlanta Braves in the past three seasons.
MLBTR.com’s Mark Polishuk is the one who pointed out that the Braves still owe Murphy $30 million on his contract.
Spotrac.com wrote (about Murphy’s deal):
“Sean Murphy signed a 6 year, $73,000,000 contract with the Atlanta Braves, including $73,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $12,166,667. In 2027, Murphy will earn a base salary of $15,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $15,000,000.”
Perhaps the Braves should consider trading away Sean Murphy, or at least trying to find a trade partner who may be willing to take on some of the remaining money on the deal, because Murphy’s contract could be blocking Drake Baldwin from earning himself a lucrative deal.
Atlanta Braves fans, what do you think about Sean Murphy’s role with the team, and would you think about parting ways with the 32-year-old backstop?
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Taking a Quick Look at Sean Murphy Recently…
Injuries limited Sean Murphy to just 33 games played in 2026 and 110 total ABs.
In that sample size, Murphy batted .182 with three home runs and an OPS+ of 53.
In 2025, Murphy batted .199 in 291 ABs, with 16 home runs and 13 doubles, which aren’t bad marks at all, and led to a semi-respectable 97 OPS+.
However, Murphy was shut down at the end of the 2025 season due to a hip injury, which lingered into 2026, and then a broken finger also kept Murphy on the sidelines.
Sean Murphy has been a fine player when he’s on the field, but that’s been the uncertain aspect of his game since 2024.
There are cheaper backup catcher options that the Braves could explore if they wanted to move on from Sean Murphy.
Atlanta Braves Disappointing Player Still Owed $30 Million