Murphy welcomed to Braves with open arms

ATLANTA -- Sean Murphy spent the past few months knowing there was a chance he would be traded. It’s safe to say he was happy to learn he’ll be joining his former A’s teammate Matt Olson in Atlanta.

“I think there’s a lot of great things about Atlanta," Murphy said. "Not to mention they’ve been winning a lot of games, and they won the 2021 World Series. I want to win one too. I think Atlanta is a great place to start.”

Murphy became Atlanta’s newest addition on Monday, when he was the centerpiece of a three-team deal that included Oakland and Milwaukee. The highly regarded catcher comes from the A’s less than a year after the Braves acquired Olson from Oakland.

Olson immediately reached out to welcome Murphy to the Braves family. The 28-year-old catcher also received a text from Travis d’Arnaud, with whom he will share the catching duties with this year.

“[d’Arnaud] was one of the first guys to reach out to just say, ‘Hi. Welcome. And we're stoked to have you on the team,'” Murphy said. “That felt good to have them having reached out and immediately include me.”

Murphy ranked third among all MLB catchers in fWAR, d’Arnaud ranked sixth. The Braves ranked third in catching WAR last year and should earn a similar ranking in 2023.

Murphy’s production was somewhat obscured as he spent the past few seasons in Oakland. But those who have consistently watched him draw some comparisons to the Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto, who is widely considered the game’s top catcher.

“I think he’s the most well-rounded catcher in the game,” Murphy said. “So obviously, [that's] someone I want to compare my game to.”

Exactly how the Braves divide time between Murphy and d’Arnaud remains to be seen, but both are expected to collect at-bats as the designated hitter on some of the days they aren’t behind the plate.

“I want to play as much as possible, but part of this is about winning, and we're in a good spot to win,” Murphy said. “Whatever split me and Travis have, I'll be fine with. We're here to win games. Having an All-Star around like Travis will be great. He knows this [pitching] staff as well as anybody.”

Murphy got a look at some of the Braves pitchers during six games between Atlanta and Oakland last year. He’s also currently spending time with fellow Nashville resident Kyle Wright, who produced an MLB-best 21 wins for the Braves last year. The two began working out together this winter.

As the next few weeks and months unfold, Murphy will also develop a better feel for Max Fried, Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton and the other pitchers he will begin working with once Spring Training starts.

“Our goal behind the plate is to win games and get our pitchers through those games in whatever fashion,” Murphy said. “Any time you catch a win in the big leagues, it’s a good day. Hitting comes secondary. If you can help with the bat, great. But giving good defensive and getting those pitchers through nine innings is what is most important.”

It seems like Murphy knows exactly what the Braves are seeking.