At the 2026 MLB trade deadline, the Atlanta Braves sit at 67-45. They are first place in the National League East and eight games ahead of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.
They have done this without having a consistent, reliable option at the backup catcher role. They have primarily used Austin Wynns and Joey Bart to fill in for Drake Baldwin when he has been hurt and/or gets his scheduled off days.
Wynns was released by the club in June, and Bart was subsequently picked up. He has been taking the reps since. However before the trade deadline on Monday, Atlanta chose to deal Bart to the Chicago White Sox.
The Braves received right-hander Duncan Davitt in the deal, a 26-year-old rookie who made his debut April 10. He will go to Triple-A Gwinnett for the time being, while the Braves make their stance on the injured catcher Sean Murphy clear.
Murphy has had an unfortunate string of injuries dating back to last season. He received hip surgery in September 2025, returned in May 2026 and almost immediately got hurt again, this time with a broken left middle finger.
The 31-year-old has only appeared in four games this year. Across 94 games in 2025, he slashed .199/.300/.409 (.709 OPS) with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs. He posted exceptional catcher defensive metrics.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Now with both Bart and Wynns gone, Murphy will have essentially no competition for the backup catcher role. He has been on a rehab assignment for Triple-A Gwinnett the past few days, so he should be activated shortly.
There is no doubt that Murphy’s best offensive days are behind them at this point, but he can still be one of MLB’s better backup catchers. He hits lefties especially well, featuring an .805 OPS against them in 2025.
The Braves will soon have a more reliable backup catcher, meaning that Baldwin will not have to play as much as he does. Even though he is 25 years old, it is never good for a catcher to play too often as it can compromise health and performance.
