Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Murphy takes another step forward in recovery

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated 5/6/24

The Braves were swept for the first time all season in Los Angeles, wrapping up a western road trip in which they lost five of six games. This is a team that appears in need of a jolt of energy, particularly offensively, and they may get one in the coming weeks.

Per David O’Brien of The Athletic, Sean Murphy felt fantastic after hitting off a tee in back-to-back days. Batting practice should be in his near future, and if there are no setbacks, a rehab stint could be coming up.

#Braves IL’d catcher Sean Murphy felt great in his second session hitting balls off a tee Saturday, and is going out now for another one, the back-to-back days being the next step in his rehab. He’ll ramp things up some this week assuming no setbacks.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) May 5, 2024

The Braves have been without their All-Star catcher since Opening Day when he suffered an oblique injury on an awkward swing. It’s the type of injury that’s extremely unforgiving, and as we’ve seen, can take months to heal.

The Braves have been understandably extremely cautious with Sean Murphy throughout this process, with the notion that it’s only May and oblique injuries have a tendency to flare up if not healed properly. However, the team could desperately use his presence back in the lineup. For the first time since early last year, the Braves do not own the top spot in the NL East, sitting 2.5 games behind the Phillies, who have been the hottest team in baseball over the last month.

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

More must-reads: