Braves scratch Sean Murphy from Game 3 lineup

There were some rumblings after Game 3 that Acuña Jr. would have to DH again in Game 4 due to soreness in his right knee. However, he had an MRI after the game, which apparently cleared him to be able to return to the field. With Acuña Jr. in the outfield, Sean Murphy will catch and bat ninth, and Drake Baldwin will DH. Mike Yastrzemski will also re-enter the lineup in left field with Ha-Seong Kim heading back to the bench.

Acuña left the ballpark without talking to the media after going 0-for-3 with a walk as a DH in Game 3. If he can’t play the outfield in Game 4, the Braves will probably start Lane Thomas in right field, and it would mean Drake Baldwin would need to catch again, keeping Sean Murphy on the bench.

It’s the first start of the series for Smith, who has appeared as a pinch-hitter and struck out in each of the first two games. Mike Yastrzemski will also return to the starting lineup for Game 3 after sitting in Game 2. Sean Murphy and Ha-Seong Kim will open the game on the bench for the Braves. Here’s the full lineup that the Braves will deploy in a must-win game against Phillies’ right-hander Aaron Nola: Drake Baldwin (C), Ronald Acuña Jr. (RF), Matt Olson (1B), Michael Harris II (CF), Mauricio Dubon (SS), Mike Yastrzemski (LF) Austin Riley (3B), Ozzie Albies (2B) and Dominic Smith (DH)

This may not seem noteworthy, but Acuña Jr. has led off just three times since September 8th. That role is mostly held by Drake Baldwin. Baldwin will DH and hit second in this one, with Sean Murphy entering the lineup as the catcher and hitting eighth.

Murphy broke up a no-hit bid by Eury Pérez in the top of the sixth inning when he singled on a first-pitch sinker that caught too much of the plate. It was the lone hit of the game for the Braves, who never had a runner get into scoring position in the 3-0 defeat.

Murphy broke a scoreless tie by swatting a three-run homer in the sixth inning, and he later added another RBI. The veteran catcher has been sidelined for much of the season due to a broken finger, but he has now started seven of Atlanta’s past 10 contests. Drake Baldwin’s status as an everyday player caps Murphy’s upside, but Baldwin has been shifting to DH when Murphy is in the lineup.

Drake Baldwin will slide to designated hitter. Murphy has gone 13-for-58 in his 17 games this season with two home runs, four RBI, and a 22/3 K/BB ratio.

Murphy’s homer came off Colorado starter Mason Adams, giving Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the third inning. It was only his 16th game of the season, as he’s been on the IL twice. However, he was starting for the fifth time in seven games, with Drake Baldwin serving as the team’s DH in those contests. Baldwin is a true everyday player for Atlanta, so Murphy’s playing time is capped. He could still have value in two-catcher fantasy leagues if the team keeps giving Baldwin starts at DH.

The Braves have been using Murphy pretty often lately even without him hitting at all, but maybe his bat is starting to wake up. He entered tonight 6-for-44 with a 17/1 K/BB in a 2026 season that saw him get off to a late start after hip surgery and then suffer a fractured finger after returning in May.

Murphy returns to Atlanta’s catching rotation behind starter Drake Baldwin for his first game action since mid-May. The 31-year-old wound up missing nearly three months with a fractured left middle finger.