A few weeks ago, the Braves completed another blockbuster trade with the Athletics. This time, they landed Gold Glove catcher Sean Murphy for William Contreras and several pitching prospects. It was a bit of perplexing move, considering catcher was already a position of strength for the team, but the plan is beginning to make much more sense as it unfolds.
Alex Anthopoulos has done it again, inking Sean Murphy to a lengthy six-year extension worth $73 million.
#Braves Sign Sean Murphy: pic.twitter.com/CbuwZ6cMZa
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) December 28, 2022
As you can see from the tweet, the deal also comes with a club option in 2029 for $15 million with no buyout.
I didn’t love the trade at the time, but this extension makes me like it a lot more. Murphy is incredible defensively, and his offense is trending in the right direction as well. He’s arguably a top three catcher in the game, and now he’s locked up for the next seven years at an incredibly affordable rate.
I thought a Murphy contract extension would push north of $100 million, but somehow, Alex Anthopoulos was able to lock up yet another star player to a deal well below market value. I have no idea how he does it, but it’s incredibly impressive, and all of these contract extensions make the sting of losing Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson in back-to-back offseasons hurt a lot less.
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Photo: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire
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