Catcher Sean Murphy has been playing through hip discomfort for the past three years, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos told the Braves beat last night (link via Mark Bowman of MLB.com). While Murphy had been playing through pain that “would come and go,” per Anthopoulos, the issue reached a tipping point recently and prompted an MRI to take a look at how severe the issue had become. That revealed a torn labrum in Murphy’s hip, which will require season-ending surgery. The procedure will be performed Thursday.
“…in talking to [Dr. Thomas Byrd, who’ll perform the surgery] today, he was stunned [Murphy] had been playing the last three years with a significant tear,” said Anthopoulos.
Murphy hit .233/.332/.491 (126 wRC+) with 16 homers and a dozen doubles in 271 plate appearances through the end of July this season, but his offensive production cratered beginning in August. From Aug. 1 through what’ll now go down as his final plate appearance of the season on Saturday, he went 4-for-59 with a 34.8% strikeout rate. The resulting .068/.167/.085 batting line served as a screaming indicator that something clearly wasn’t right with Murphy.
Anthopoulos also touched on the topic of recently claimed shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, who has a $16MM player option for the 2026 season (link via David O’Brien of The Athletic). Atlanta’s longtime president of baseball ops acknowledged talking with the Rays about Kim at the deadline as well, and while no deal came together, the organization is glad to have nabbed Kim off waivers and hopes the 29-year-old (30 next month) will opt into the second season of his contract.
“[G]etting him in our clubhouse, him getting to know us, us getting to know him — whether he doesn’t opt out or does, we’re both in a better position,” Anthopoulos said of Kim. “We know more about each other. Had he been in Tampa and opted out (of the option), and now we’re coming to the table to talk to him, I can’t tell you we separate ourselves from any other team that he hasn’t played for.”
It’s been a lost season overall for Kim. The former Padres standout had shoulder surgery last October and inked a two-year, $29MM deal with Tampa Bay — the second season of which is a player option. Kim returned in early July but has twice been on the injured list since that time due to lower back troubles. Kim is hitting just .231/.302/.346 overall this season (81 wRC+), but he’s been good in six games with Atlanta: 6-for-20 with a home run, a walk and only three strikeouts in 23 plate appearances.
At his best, Kim is a plus defensive shortstop and plus runner with nearly average power. He’ll draw walks at an above-average clip and put the ball in play more often than the standard big leaguer. He hasn’t been at his best in 2025, but given the thin market for free-agent shortstops and the lack of in-house alternatives to defensive standout but light-hitting Nick Allen, it makes sense that Atlanta proactively jumped to bring Kim into the fold. There’s no firm guarantee he’ll pick up his $16MM player option, but his struggles this year make that a real possibility, at which point the Braves are effectively bringing him into the ’26 fold on a one-year pillow contract.
Of course, one of the biggest questions on the minds of Braves fans is who’ll manage the club next season. Brian Snitker just notched his 800th managerial win this week, but the 69-year-old Braves lifer was noncommittal when asked about continuing on beyond the current season when asked back in March.
Asked about his manager’s future, Anthopoulos said (via O’Brien) that Snitker would be “in this organization forever” but declined to discuss whether that means Snitker will continue managing the team. Anthopoulos did reveal that the team has “absolutely not” begun doing background work on a potential replacement, adding that it would be “completely disrespectful” to Snitker to do so.
Snitker, second to only Bobby Cox in Braves managerial wins, has been in the organization for nearly 50 years — the past nine as the major league manager. He’s previously managed at nearly every minor league level in the system, spent more than a decade on the major league coaching staff (bullpen coach, third base coach) and has worked in a variety of instructional capacities in the Braves’ minor league ranks.
Fans — Braves fans in particular — will want to check out O’Brien’s piece for a full slate of quotes on Murphy, Kim, Snitker, Drake Baldwin’s Rookie of the Year candidacy, the struggles (and recent turnarounds) from Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II, and a good bit more.
‘Completely disrespectful’…? He is tired to you, AA. IF he does decide to come back in ’26 and it’s anything like this season — the pitchforks could be at your door. ’25 has almost nearly erased ’21.
tied*
Agreed. However, what’s the biggest complaints out there against Snitker? Is it his bullpen management, no emotion, etc? He was handed these teams to manage and can only do so much, especially last 2 seasons….I’m on both sides of the fence. Snit deserves to not be ran out of the building with decades in the organization; I do feel a new voice is needed come next season.
No need to run Snit out of the building. Just “promote” him to special advisor status, give him a golf cart to putt around the ST complex and hire a manager w/good people skills who’ll use the Braves strong analytics team in the FO to the team’s advantage on the field (especially w/bullpen management.) My pipe dream.
Not throwing names out there because they probably won’t go outside the organization to hire a manager, but if they do please don’t even consider hiring Mark DeRosa.
It’s hard to take DeRosa seriously. I don’t think he would leave his comfy studio position, but I really hope they consider Skip Schumacher before STL finally wisens up and replaces Oli.
@Run: I’m gonna be shocked if they go outside the organization to hire a manger. Imo, odds are Weiss gets the job. It’s interesting though that Snit spoke highly of Schumaker when Skip was managing the Marlins.
Skip is in line to replace Bochy in Texas.. that’s why he has the role he currently has with the Rangers
I think if the Yankees fire Boone they’ll pull out all the stops to land Schumacher. The only thing preventing that is if Skip just doesn’t want to manage in New York. But again, Boone would have to be fired because I don’t see him resigning.
While I’m not the biggest opponent of Snit’s — and I also think he should have some say in an exit — it shouldn’t come at the expense of the team. If he wanted to stay to have 50 seasons in the franchise, that’s another 2 more seasons, I believe, which really would be questionable IF there are any more seasons like this one. He’s been accused at being asleep at the wheel, while his pitching/bullpen usage is constantly debated (like most managers’). I think there’s a lack of leadership in the clubhouse, imho, and would really appreciate a new voice even if it’s outside the club. Some can appreciate the Braves Way, but 2025’s season looks a lot like the last 2 postseasons, where injuries and long slumps have gone on for long stretches. Seitzer’s dismissal was one action, but is it more than that? Should Kranitz return IF Snit is gone?
He is not being ran out the door, he is retiring at seasons end.
I’m surprised AA admitted this out loud “…he was stunned [Murphy] had been playing the last three years with a significant tear”
They all knew hoping he can play through it with regular treatment until he can’t now. Players have to do physicals every season reporting to S.T. camp.
A physical requires no MRI on ones hip presumably, right?
That is an interesting question. If I was a gm I would make hip/lower back mris a mandatory step in the spring training physical. Possibly allow players 25 and below to skip it unless there is cause for concern.
I always wondered why post-season physicals aren’t mandatory. I’d bet that every player has some physical weakness they shouyld be working on. And probably some playing trait they need to improve.
Get a complete physical along with a set of off-season to-do lists.
Makes AA/Murphy’s contract and performance less ugly
16 million dollar option and your the Braves and you hope he stays. He is hitting .231 and a career.240 hitter. Way over paid on his contract and of course he will opt in. Never should have been signed for that kind of money. There are young short stops avaliable for 1 million that can hit .230.
That’s a bad comp. .230 is good for a catcher and terrible from a SS
Name one that can be picked up who has a .300+ OBP and can play multiple positions with really good defense.
There’s not a better option they’re gonna find in free agency
He is hitting .300 with the Braves.
Career OPS+:
Swanson: 98
Kim: 98
I’d take Kim’s glove and being 2+ years younger for less, even with Boras as an agent. ATL loves value more than loyalty.
I like the post overall but it’s not entirely a matter of loyalty when said career 98OPS+ SS is getting 200M.
So they value value over loyalty. Fried, Minter could also be evidence (less so Freeman, since they were the rumored high bidder…). I’m not saying they were bad moves, just making an observation while also illustrating there can be a comparable (perhaps, better?) substitute to Swanson for a lot less, even if that meant more risk considering Kim’s history.
They value value more than most but let’s not pretend paying top dollar equates to loyalty either. There’s nothing wrong with a guy wanting to get paid but they’ve handed out a lot of long term deals and they’ve been extremely loyal to those guys too.
Boras is going to insist on 4 years $80 million…..which is a bargain when you look at Dansby’s 7 years $177 million…
RunDMC
Career OPS+:
Swanson: 98
Kim: 98
========================
Swanson was a good signing. If the Braves can get Kim for less than Swanson, they should do so.
Hmmm, it’s almost like batting average isn’t everything. kim isn’t an juggernaut offensively but for most of his career he has been around league average at the plate and that comes with really good defense and stolen bases. I’m not completely on board with WAR, as I don’t think it is an end all be all, but when healthy he could average 4 war a season. Take a second to go look at the 2026 free agents. Other than Bichette (and he was dog water last year and his defense isn’t great) who is out there on the free agent market? The next best is maybe Willie Castro? So please what would you like a team like the braves to do when they have got absolutely no production from shortstop. Let’s take a look at their farm system, it’s pretty bad. Looks like the next opportunity they have in their system for a major league caliber shortstop is newly drafted Alex Lodise or Cody Miller. That’s IF they progress. Nacho Alvarez, I hear you say? Maybe, he hasn’t looked any better offensively and a lot of scouts are skeptical about his ability to play shortstop long-term. I completely understand why the braves claimed him in hopes for a one year prove it option, and I also understand why the Tampa bay Rays signed him in the off-season. I could be wrong however, please tell me what your plan would be? In my opinion, not very well said. Sorry Lad.
Outstanding post, Jesse.
Nacho Alvarez looks like he eats nachos to excess.
I love batting average.
If he’s completely healthy, then what is essentially a 1/$16 million deal for 2026 could be a steal. He can give you a league average bat with versatility on the infield and plus defense wherever he plays. His health is the question mark here but he’s worth the gamble.
I would rather have Nick Allen back. Would have been fine if half the big hitters did not have down years.
Nick Allen isn’t a high school All-Star. He’s complete garbage.
Nick Allen is one of the worst hitters in the majors. As good as he is on defense, he’s that bad on offense. No idea why you would prefer that as he is barely above replacement level.
The metrics love him, but he has no range and no arm which apparently they don’t care about.
Kim at his best is a very good overall player. He’ll never win a silver slugger, but he plays elite defense, provides plenty of speed, and produces just enough with the bat to be considered a very solid starting shortstop.
“… the organization is glad to have nabbed Kim off waivers and hopes the 29-year-old (30 next month) will opt into the second season of his contract.”
If that’s the case then it’s 100% he’s opting out.
How many posts have you said this? Does typing these words in a row do it for you? Awesome. You will know the truth in a few weeks.
Go look at the track record of players with player options! The only one who didn’t do the opposite of what his team wanted him to do with it was A. J. Burnett with the Phillies 11 years ago.
Not the point of saying it over and over. No one knows till a few weeks and until then you have stated your case. It is very similar to a mutual option–mutual options are rarely picked up because if the player would pick it up the owners generally don’t want to, and if the team wants to pick it up the player does not want to. Okay. We get it.
Best case scenario for the Braves in claiming Kim is he opts out and they have to be the highest bidder anyway. So same as if they never claimed him.
Makes more sense to me now they kept Drake Baldwin. As someone who’s not a braves fan I always thought they’d trade him to upgrade elsewhere on the big league team
A young left handed hitting catcher with an above average bat AND around average glove is an extremely rare find and not one that is often traded away. I’ve been watching baseball since the 70s and to be honest I just can’t think of one except switch hitting Jarrod Saltalamachia (sp?) and ATL gave him up in a desperation move in my opinion.
If course I am older and my memory might not be as good as it once was lol.
I can think of a young lefty hitting catcher w/an above average bat and around average glove before Salty. You should too southi, lol. Brian McCann.
I was talking about one that was specifically TRADED AWAY, lol. Think you missed that part.
I tried to go back and dig but couldn’t find one that met the qualifications I described and was traded as a prospect. Baldwin would probably had been the first traded in approximately 40 years if he had been traded before he had made his major league debut.
Even Saltalamacchia had already played a good bit with ATL before he was traded to the rangers.
Young left-handed hitting catchers with an above average bat AND around average glove is just a super rare commodity and as such don’t get dealt away as prospects.
I still might had missed one, but I went through a ton of lefty good hitting catchers since 1970 and while I found many who got traded, those had all already made their debuts OR were traded after they were established big leaguers.
My initial reply was in response to someone remarking they thought Atlanta would have traded him in the off season (before he debuted). I was just pointing out that type of trade almost never gets done.
Oh, I can’t forget about BMac, I remember his dad Howard as an assistant coaching at UGA while I attended there and Brian was a toddler (although I seriously don’t remember seeing a toddler MAc, I definitely was around his dad more than a few times)
I did miss the traded reference southi. Sorry about that.
I think the Braves learned the hard way with trading away Contreras and Langeliers that they should hold onto Baldwin.
As a lifelong Braves fan I’m probably one of the few who thinks Bobby Cox was overrated and Snitker is his disciple. No innovation, and terrible bullpen usage. Let’s not forget the playoffs when Kimbrel was dominant but not used because it wasn’t a save situation.
Freddie Gonazeles was the manager not Snit when Kimbrel was ignored in the pen standing there with him arms crossed.
Hogsansgoat, I agree, you are one of the few. In my opinion Bobby Cox is one of the greatest managers of all time. He is within a doubt the best manager the Braves have had.
Cox and Snitker are the same they just had great players. Terrible bullpen managers. Cox should have one several World Series rather than one for the Braves. Snitker is no better but probably worse. I hope there is a new manager in 2026 and there should be.
Absolutely. 3 HoF SPs in one rotation, going to the playoffs (when it was harder to get in, less teams) 14 consecutive years and only 1 title…?
Bobby Cox had trash bullpens. They spent the money on starters & closer. When your using Scott Proctor 70 times a year, things are going to be rough.