Overview
- MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reported Murphy is likely to open 2026 on the shelf as he continues recovering from right-hip surgery.
- Murphy’s recent availability concerns include a 2024 oblique strain and cracked rib followed by a 2025 hip labral tear that required season-ending surgery.
- Executives weighing rotation upgrades must account for diminished return on any Murphy deal, with his six-year, $73 million extension reinforcing Atlanta’s leverage calculus.
- Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin profiles as an everyday catcher to cover early-season duties, lessening pressure to move Murphy immediately.
- Atlanta is evaluating internal depth such as Chadwick Tromp and Sandy León and surveying veteran free agents, even as some analysts argue a Murphy trade could be a path to controllable starting pitching.