“Borderline criminal on Sean Murphy’s part” - Fans criticize Braves catcher for keeping mum about injury for prolonged time amid high-stakes game

The Atlanta Braves were dealt disappointing news on Monday concerning their catcher, Sean Murphy. The Braves catcher had been dealing with a right hip labral tear for the past three years. Murphy chose not to disclose the injury until it significantly worsened late in the season.

MLB reporter Grant McAuley shared an update from GM Alex Anthopoulos, who said the catcher will undergo surgery on Thursday. This will officially mark the end of the 2025 season for Murphy.

"#Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos said Sean Murphy has dealt with a hip issue for the last three seasons but had not informed the club until this week when the pain became unbearable," McAuley wrote. "He'd only recently started seeking treatment. He Will have surgery on Thursday."

Braves fans were not happy with Murphy's decision to hide his injury. One fan commented:

"This is borderline criminal on Murphy’s part."

"Is this a breach of contract?" one fan asked.

One fan took shots at the team's doctors for not identifying the problem well before. The user wrote:

"Tells us how good our trainers and team doctors are, Their job is to notice and investigate things??????? Am i right?"

"Interesting. Did he have the injury prior to signing the extension???" one fan said.

"That was selfish," another fan wrote.

"This is damn dumb. It's not up to just him. He's an asset to the team. And now a damaged one you can't trade," one fan commented.

MLB reporter reveals how Braves came to know about Sean Murphy's injury

According to Grant McAuley, it wasn't until Sean Murphy’s performance declined sharply, slumping to a .199 batting average with 16 home runs, that the severity of his hip problem became known. McAuley said how the decision of surgery was made.

"Braves became more concerned with his recent play and even noticed some swing issues in his final game," McAuley wrote. "Murphy preferred to finish the season, but given the need for surgery once it was checked out, the decision to have the surgery was made. The rehab process is 4 months."

Murphy, who last played in Saturday's game against the Seattle Mariners, was placed on the 10-day injured list with a hip tear. The surgery on Thursday will require four months of rehabilitation. With the veteran catcher out, the Braves turned to rookie Drake Baldwin and recalled Sandy León from Triple-A to fill the void behind the plate.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Krutik Jain