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Braves may have missed a golden opportunity at the trade deadline

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 11:14 AM ET

When everyone expected the Braves to sell at the trade deadline, they decided to stand pat. Alex Anthopoulos actually bought more than he sold, and there was even a report that linked the club to Byron Buxton, but he refused to waive his no-trade clause.

It was an interesting course of action for a team that had next to no chance at the postseason, but the Braves showed zero interest in parting ways with any players under team control for multiple seasons.

One name that did garner some interest was Sean Murphy. The All-Star catcher was red-hot leading into the trade deadline, and with Drake Baldwin in the fold, teams probably figured the Braves would be willing to listen on the more experienced Murphy.

According to Jim Bowden, the San Diego Padres were among the teams that inquired, which makes since, given they were by far the most aggressive team at the trade deadline.

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

Of course, who knows how far those conversations went. If reports are true, the Braves weren’t even willing to listen on offers.

However, we do know the Padres parted ways with shortstop Leodalis De Vries — a top-five prospect in all of baseball — and three other pitching prospects for Mason Miller.

It was undoubtedly a massive overpay by the Padres for a relief pitcher, but that’s what sellers can take advantage of at the trade deadline. The Braves had a lot of stuff they could have offered, replenishing their farm system for the future while still keeping their championship window open. Sean Murphy should have been floated to the entire league. He would have been the best catcher on the trade block by a mile, and a bidding war would have ensued.

Fast forward to today, and Murphy’s hot streak has subsided considerably. He’s barely hitting over the Mendoza Line, and over the last two seasons, he’s recorded a .198 average with a .681 OPS.

Murphy still brings a lot to the table. He’s one of the best defensive catchers in the game, and pitchers love throwing to him, which is the most important trait for a catcher. But with Drake Baldwin in the fold, the Braves aren’t going to get the most value out of Murphy while he’s on the roster. They could have at this year’s trade deadline, something Alex Anthopoulos might end up regretting in the future.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission.

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