The Atlanta Braves shared an update on injured catcher Drake Baldwin‘s recovery from an oblique strain ahead of a matchup against the New York Mets on Friday, June 12.
Baldwin is set to begin a rehab assignment this weekend. The news was relayed by Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers, on social media. Baldwin will join the club in Jacksonville for a game against the Jumbo Shrimp.
The oblique injury has sidelined Baldwin since the middle of May. He was pulled from a game against the Miami Marlins on Monday, May 18, after three plate appearances. The backstop was placed on the injured list shortly after being removed from the matchup in Miami. Oblique injuries have a varied recovery timeline. Baldwin returning to game action within a month is on the faster end of the typical timeframe to come back from the injury.
Atlanta Braves Share Update on Drake Baldwin’s Recovery From Oblique Strain
Baldwin will likely need several games in the minors to get up to speed. The Braves are currently embarking on the final three games of a road trip in New York. After the series against the Mets, Atlanta will head back home for six games. Baldwin could return at some point during the homestand. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year should be back in the lineup sometime in mid-June.
The 2026 campaign was going extremely well for Baldwin before the injury. He was slashing .303/.389/.543 through 216 plate appearances. The backstop had a massive 159 wRC+ across 48 games. After hitting 19 home runs in 446 plate appearances last season, Baldwin was already up to 13 this year. Even with the time missed due to injury, he should easily set a new career high in 2026.
Baldwin’s strikeout rate has ticked up a bit, as he’s punching out at a 20.4% clip, but he’s also walking more often. The catcher has earned free passes at an 11.1% rate this year, up from 8.5% as a rookie. The increase in walk rate, along with superb hit collection, has helped bump Baldwin’s OBP by nearly 50 points.
Who Has Filled In At Catcher With Baldwin Out?
Atlanta seemed to have a ready-made option to step in behind the plate in veteran Sean Murphy. However, the backstop has dealt with his own injury issues. Murphy missed the first month of the year following offseason surgery to repair his right hip labrum. He finally returned in early May, only to break his left middle finger after just four games. Murphy went 1-for-14 with the big-league club. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list in the first week of June.
The Braves have trotted out a slew of journeymen to cover the catcher position with both Baldwin and Murphy out. Jonah Heim, Sandy Leon, Chadwick Tromp, and Austin Wynns have all had stints in Atlanta. Heim broke camp as the backup to Baldwin. He was traded to the Athletics after Murphy returned. Tromp was designated for assignment last week. He signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Wynns and Leon are handling catching duties against the Mets.
Braves Announce Update on Drake Baldwin’s Injury Recovery