ATLANTA — That’s one way to introduce yourself to the home fans: Catcher Sean Murphy’s first home run with the Braves was a walk-off at Truist Park.
After the team squandered a 3-1 lead in the ninth, Murphy’s two-run blast off Derek Law’s first pitch of the 10th gave the Braves a 5-4 win over the Reds in the series opener Monday.
Here are five observations:
1. Murphy, who was hitless in his past three contests, had three hits Monday with two doubles and the homer. He was due for that type of night. Murphy was the team’s big offseason acquisition, dealt from the A’s to the Braves following the best season of his career.
“I knew I hit it pretty good,” Murphy said of his winning homer. “I didn’t know if I had enough. It was at least enough to get (baserunner Austin Riley) to third, I thought. And then I saw it carrying and I got some hope.”
Murphy isn’t flashy. He isn’t much of a talker (at least with reporters). He is one of the premier backstops in baseball, and despite a relatively quiet start offensively, performances like Monday remind why the Braves added him – and just how valuable he can be in every facet.
He’s drawn profusive praise for his work behind the plate. He has much more to offer with the bat, as Monday illustrated. And the team will rely heavily on him with Travis d’Arnaud sidelined due to a concussion. Murphy said he’d “absolutely” catch every game in d’Arnaud’s absence if that’s the team’s desire.
“I’m so happy for him that he could contribute,” manager Brian Snitker said. “You come to a new team and you want to do so good. He’s been such a great teammate. I’m happy for him that he can have a night like that.”
2. Murphy’s night was even better because of his work with starter Bryce Elder. The 23-year-old pitched 6-1/3 scoreless innings in his second start of the year. Overall, Elder has 13 strikeouts against four walks over 12-1/3 innings to begin this season. The Braves have won both his outings.
“I think we still have work to do – there’s certain things I could’ve done better – but at the same time, I’m not going to act like I’m not pleased with how I’ve been throwing it,” Elder said. “I think I’ve been making the pitches I need to make when I need to make them. So we’re just going to keep building off of it.”
3. This was the first time Elder had thrown to Murphy. The two spoke well of their dynamic after the game.
“Bryce is easy to work with,” Murphy said. “He communicates well. He knows what he wants out of his catcher, which is nice. He gives me direction and I give him direction. It’s not a one-way conversation. He knows who he is on the mound and knows what he wants to do with the ball. So I’m just there to try to help him along those lines and make him as effective as possible.”
Elder on working with Murphy: “I can’t say enough about what he did behind the plate. … It’s actually the first time I’d thrown to him. I was very impressed. We were on the same page. The game he called was great. I can’t thank him enough. Then for him to go out and win it for us, it’s special.”
4. Elder finished the 2022 season with some fantastic showings, including a shutout against the Nationals. He had a poor spring, though, and didn’t make the team out of camp. Elder started in Triple-A Gwinnett’s opener and quickly ended up back in Atlanta to help a wounded rotation. He debuted with six scoreless innings in St. Louis.
He was in total control against the Reds. He struck out seven and only walked one. His slider induced seven whiffs on 23 swings (30%). He threw 70 strikes on 103 pitches, pitching deep enough into the night to give a taxed bullpen a smaller workload (Braves relievers had thrown 40-1/3 innings entering the night, fourth most in the majors).
The Texas-born righty said he feels more convicted this year. “The pitches I’m throwing, I’m just so much more committed to them,” he said. Given the state of the Braves’ rotation, they’ve needed someone to fill a bigger role than anticipated. Elder is delivering.
“Probably more confidence,” Snitker said, comparing Elder now versus the end of last season. “It’s good the experience he had and made some big starts for us at the time. When we were trying to pin the division down, he did a great job. These guys, they stay around and make the starts in Triple-A like he did. They come up, they help us.
“Come to spring training, he’s not awe-struck anymore. He’s like, ‘I can pitch here, and I want to show them I can.’ They kind of kick it into a different gear, I think. ‘I think I can compete here.’ And it’s great. I love it when a guy like that does that and then seizes the opportunity when you give it to him.”
5. Murphy has felt welcomed with open arms.
“(I’ve had) a blast,” Murphy said of his early experience with the Braves. “All these guys are so good, welcoming and awesome. I already feel like I’m part of the group and I just got here.”
