"Acquired in an out-of-nowhere deal ahead of the 2023 season when the Braves were seemingly set at catcher, Murphy's signature style of swing-out-of-his-shoes slugging and stellar saves defensively made for an awesome debut season in Atlanta, but also led to some sour grapes-esque feelings given that William Contreras had a defensive turnaround-and-breakout in Milwaukee in 2023, hit a new gear offensively in 2024, and has been hyper-productive since the trade overall."
"The trade that sent Murphy to Atlanta was a wild one. The Braves sent prospect pitchers Kyle Muller, Royber Salnias, and Freddy Tarnok, and backup catcher type Manny Pina, to Oakland. Meanwhile, Milwaukee added speedster prospect Esteury Ruiz, whom the Athletics considered to prize of their haul for Murphy (for whatever reason). For sending Ruiz west, the Brewers got Contreras and not-really-a-prospect Justin Yeager from the Braves."
"About two weeks after the deal, and before he had appeared in any kind of contest in his new team's uniform, the Braves and Murphy connected on an extension that guaranteed $73 million over six years, and included a 2029 club option with no buyout. The extension paid Murphy $4 million in 2023, $9 million in 2024, and $15 million annually thereafter, including in the option year."
Sean Murphy played through debilitating hip pain for three years, including during his standout 2023 season. William Contreras delivered a defensive turnaround in Milwaukee in 2023, improved offensively in 2024, and performed strongly after the trade. Murphy experienced an injury-plagued, xwOBA-underperforming 2024 and began 2025 on the Injured List. He had another mediocre offensive year before succumbing to the hip injury he had apparently tried to play through during his Atlanta tenure. The trade that brought Murphy to Atlanta involved multiple prospects and was controversial among fans. Two weeks after the trade, Murphy signed a six-year, $73 million extension with a 2029 club option.
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