The Braves have reinstated catcher Sean Murphy from the injured list, leading to Jonah Heim being removed from the team to make room on the active roster, dropping their number to 39. Heim, who signed a $1.5 million contract early in spring training, served primarily as a fill-in until Murphy’s return following labrum surgery. Although teams typically avoid using three catchers, the Braves are currently short in the outfield, having lost Ronald Acuña Jr. and struggling with Michael Harris II’s quadriceps issues.
Heim performed decently over 12 games, batting .231 with one home run, but struggled defensively, failing to catch any of 13 steal attempts. Despite a dip in performance since his All-Star and Gold Glove-winning seasons, he may attract interest from other teams seeking an upgrade at backup catcher, especially since his salary is relatively low. The Braves have five days to trade him or place him on waivers, after which his salary would remain intact if not moved to the minors.
Murphy is set to make his season debut tonight after a 20-day rehab period, with hopes that his surgery will improve his performance. In 2022, he hit 16 home runs but had a batting average below .200 for a second straight year, and he showed some rust during his minor league rehab stint.
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