Braves Trade Brewing? Why Latest Bold Deadline Rumors Make No Sense
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Atlanta Braves came into the season with the expectation that they would be one of the best teams in baseball and compete for another World Series.
But that's not how the season has gone. The Braves have been near the bottom of the National League for the entire campaign, and it seems like they're going to be aggressive sellers at the trade deadline with all eyes being on the expiring contracts in Atlanta.
FanSided's Christopher Kline recently suggested the Braves could cut ties with Sean Murphy at the trade deadline alongside some of their expiring players.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 28: Sean Murphy #12 and Raisel Iglesias #26 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate a 10-7 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 28, 2025 in Kansas...
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JULY 28: Sean Murphy #12 and Raisel Iglesias #26 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate a 10-7 win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 28, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. More"With Drake Baldwin rocketing up the NL Rookie of the Year leaderboard, veteran backstop Sean Murphy suddenly feels like a legitimate trade chip. Both are too good to keep out of the lineup," Kline wrote. "Atlanta has taken to alternating between catcher and DH reps for both, relegating the soon-to-be-traded Marcell Ozuna to a reserve role. But, in reality, it feels a bit silly to keep two elite catchers on the roster when so many front offices around the league would kill for even one catcher with Murphy's bat."
Trading Murphy could make sense if he had an expiring contract, but he doesn't. He's a very valuable piece in Atlanta, even with Drake Baldwin emerging as one of the top young catchers in the sport.
The biggest reason Atlanta should keep Murphy is that the Braves will likely be able to solve the pressing issue within days. Ozuna and his expiring contract are as good as gone. Once that happens, the designated hitter spot will be freed up.
That newfound flexibility should allow the duo of Baldwin and Murphy to rotate from catcher to DH, while also mixing in rest days to avoid being overworked. This would keep both players in the lineup, either behind the dish or as the DH, in a good bulk of the Braves' games.
They don't need to trade a catcher if there's a way to play both.
More MLB: Braves Blockbuster? Atlanta Ace Could Be Valuable Trade Deadline Piece
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