The Atlanta Braves on Tuesday announced that catcher Sean Murphy has been signed to a six-year contract extension that will guarantee him $73 million through the 2028 season. The pact includes a $15 million club option with no buyout for 2019. If exercised that additional year would push the total value to $88 million.
The Braves recently acquired the Murphy from the Oakland A's as part of a three-team, nine-player blockbuster that also involved the Milwaukee Brewers. Murphy, 28, is one of the top overall backstops in baseball thanks to an above-average stick and a good glove. Since 2020, he's amassed a .235/.326/.422 slash line (113 OPS+) while averaging 14 home runs and providing top-notch defense. To wit, Murphy ranked in the 86th percentile in framing runs last season, according to Statcast's data.
It's worth wondering if there's some additional offensive upside to unlock here, too, seeing as how he set a new career-high in maximum exit velocity last season, ranking in the 94th percentile. He had been slated for free agency following the 2025 season, but this extension now pushes that back to at least the 2028-29 offseason, when Murphy will be 34 years of age.
Murphy becomes the latest player to commit long-term to the Braves. In addition to Murphy, Atlanta has locked up through at least the 2026 season -- assuming team options are excercised -- talents like Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Spencer Strider, and Michael Harris. Suffice it to say, that's young/young-ish core that's the envy of almost every other team in baseball. Murphy is now part of that and, provided he stays healthy, set to be a fixture behind the plate in Atlanta for years to come.
