This continues my series where I attempt to predict the 2023 stats of each Braves player, moving on to the biggest acquisition of this offseason, Sean Murphy. If you missed any of the previous editions to this series, follow the links below.
- Michael Harris II
- Marcell OzunaÂ
- Eddie Rosario
- Orlando ArciaÂ
- Austin Riley
- Vaughn Grissom
- Ozzie Albies
- Matt Olson
- Ronald Acuña Jr.Â
Predicting Sean Murphy’s 2023 Stats
Murphy had a breakout campaign for Oakland in 2022 and will be the primary catcher for the next six years in Atlanta. Travis d’Arnaud has been great for the Braves, but he’s no Sean Murphy. Defensively, Murphy is arguably the best in the business, but I’m excited to see what he can do at the plate in a more hitter-friendly ballpark surrounded by much better offensive talent.
As far as how many games Murphy will catch, I expect it to be north of 100. The Braves will not want to wear him down, but he’s the type of player that is better when he’s catching everyday, which can be seen by his splits when he’s used as a DH.
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As Catcher: 116 games, .269/.348/.458, .805 OPS, 16 home runs
As DH: 30 games, .179/.271/.313, .584 OPS, 2 home runs
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The Braves will likely occasionally use Murphy as a DH, but he’s not an elite offensive player, just above average for a catcher. There is a substantial difference. The Braves won’t be getting the most out of Murphy unless he’s catching over 100 games, which I suspect will be the plan. Offensively, I don’t suspect anything spectacular, but his WAR will be eye-popping because of his elite defense behind the plate.
Sean Murphy’s 2023 Stat Predictions: .245/.327/.440, .767 OPS, 20 home runs, 81 RBIs, 4.0 fWAR
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Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire
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