NORTH PORT, Fla. — Braves catcher Sean Murphy has a cracked rib and is expected to miss four to six weeks before he returns.
Murphy, 30, was hit by a pitch Friday, but remained in the game catching. The next day, he felt sorer than expected and now will miss the beginning of the regular season. The Braves open March 27 in San Diego.
It’s more bad luck for Murphy, who suffered a left-oblique injury on opening day 2024 and missed significant time across what he called a “frustrating” process. Murphy, who assumed even greater responsibility after Travis d’Arnaud’s departure, now must play catch-up again. The 2023 All-Star hit just .198 with a .636 OPS in 72 games a season ago.
“You hate it for the player,” manager Brian Snitker said. “Guys want to play, that’s how they’re wired. It’s real stuff when you start breaking things, strains, all that. I hate it for him because I know he had a great attitude and mindset coming in this spring. But it’s something we have to deal with.
“Injuries, all they do is provide an opportunity for somebody else most of the time. So we’ll see the rest of spring, evaluate, see where we’re at, see where Murphy is at, and go from there.”