Braves Catcher Listed As Best Available By MLB Insider As Deadline Nears

The Atlanta Braves are falling well out of playoff contention, and they are looking to get back to October next year at the trade deadline. In the meantime, they are looking to move expendable assets while holding on to multi-year players, but MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has their catcher Sean Murphy as the best catcher at the deadline, despite his long-term contract.

Murphy is one of the best offensive catchers in the game and has a Gold Glove along with it. With 16 home runs and a 133 OPS+, and a contract through 2029, Murphy would not only take the reins behind the dish this season, but he would be the catcher of the future.

The Braves are focusing on returning to the playoffs next year and are set on keeping their controllable players, but everyone could be available at the right price. Thanks to the emergence of Drake Baldwin, the Braves have a pair of catchers who both demand playing time with their performance alone. The Braves could be comfortable letting one go.

This could be a decision the Braves make after the season ends to allow themselves to confirm what they are seeing from Baldwin and that he is ready to take on the full workload of a starting catcher.

If the Braves make the call to ship off Murphy, the Padres are an attractive candidate with their major league assets they could bring back in return for the backstop. The Padres need a catcher, and the Braves could take advantage of their surplus.

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