A month ago, Alex Anthopoulos made it very clear that he does not intend to sell any players under team control past this season. And even though a lot has changed between now and then, several MLB insiders have reported his tune has not wavered in conversations with other clubs.

At this very moment, all signs point to the Braves hanging on to their core players, but there could be some very intriguing offers coming in for Sean Murphy, who is already generating interest from a couple of playoff contenders. 

The Padres and Rays would like to pry Sean Murphy from the Braves, says @JimBowdenGM. pic.twitter.com/aUTNi8yd0z

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 10, 2025

The expanded playoffs have really changed the trade deadline because now nearly two-thirds of the league still believes they have a chance at the postseason. That leads to there being very few sellers every year, generating a potentially lucrative supply and demand dynamic for selling clubs.

That’s especially true at the catcher position. It’s already a position where it’s hard to find great two-way players, and Sean Murphy is one of the best in the business. He currently ranks 7th in fWAR among all catchers, and he’s only played in 60 games due to the emergence of star rookie Drake Baldwin.

Murphy is undoubtedly a top-five catcher in baseball. He’ll garner interest no matter the situation if made available, but in this market — one where he might be the only starting caliber catcher available — the packages presented to Alex Anthopoulos will be incredibly intriguing, especially considering Murphy is under contract at a more than palatable rate of $15 million per season through 2029.

The Braves have long emphasized the value of carrying two starting-caliber catchers, and they may also be a bit hesitant to put too much stock in a small sample size from Drake Baldwin — especially given how things have played out with Michael Harris II this season. There are certainly valid reasons to hang onto Sean Murphy, at least until the offseason when the front office can take a step back and re-evaluate the roster as a whole.

But by then, the landscape will look a lot different. The trade market will be flooded with more options, and the urgency from opposing teams will diminish with free agency in full swing. Right now, Sean Murphy is the prettiest girl in a room full of guys who haven’t seen action in years. It would be reckless for the Braves not to at least explore what kind of return Murphy could fetch.

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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire