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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates his score in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers with Sean Murphy #12 at Dodger Stadium on May 09, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Braves may have made a contractual mistake when they inked Sean Murphy to a six-year, $73 million extension.

After Murphy was an All-Star in 2023, he has had a very hard time staying on the field since, and he is still owed a ton of money, which could be blocking Drake Baldwin’s contract extension chances.

The Braves recently received an update on Sean Murphy and his broken finger.

FantasyPros.com wrote (on 6/24):

“Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss said Sean Murphy will likely be sidelined through the end of July.
Less than two weeks after returning from the injured list, Murphy was placed back on the IL with a fractured left finger, suffered on May 10 during a catcher’s interference play. He has appeared in just four games this season, going 1-for-14 with six strikeouts.”

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Sean Murphy’s Contract Status

GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – MAY 04: Sean Murphy #12 of the Atlanta Braves at bat against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on May 04, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

As noted, Murphy inked a $73 million deal back in 2023.

Here is what Spotrac wrote about the contract: 

“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 2026, Murphy will earn a base salary of $15,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $15,000,000.”

So, including this season, the Braves still owe Sean Murphy roughly $45 million, and he has a club option for 2029, but at this point, it feels like the Braves won’t pick that option up.

Murphy has played just four games for the Braves this season and recorded just one hit in 14 at-bats.

A trade could be in the thought process for Atlanta, but it’s going to be very hard to find a trade partner unless the Braves eat up a bunch of Murphy’s contract.

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Sean Murphy with the Braves

Sean Murphy was emerging as one of the best catchers in MLB from 2021 to 2023, which is what prompted Atlanta to trade for him before the 2023 season.

Murphy showed signs of solid early returns during that 2023 season, but in both 2024 and 2025, Sean Murphy has been unable to play in 100+ games and has hit below .200 in both campaigns.

Hitting for a low average is okay for a catcher, and Murphy does have solid power (16 HRs in 94 games last season), but what doesn’t bode well with such a lucrative contract is his inability to stay on the field.

As noted, Sean Murphy’s lucrative deal could have a blocker effect on Drake Baldwin, who should be in line for a big extension as well.

Another ripple effect of Murphy’s injuries is that what used to be a strength (catching depth) for the Braves has quickly turned into a weakness, with Atlanta having to bring in several other catchers to help alleviate some pressure off Baldwin.

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