(Photo by Sam Navarro/Getty Images)
In MLB, it’s not common for a catcher to win the MVP award.
It’s just such a demanding position from a defensive standpoint that most catchers just don’t have the time, energy, or talent to really focus on the art of hitting.
Atlanta Braves backstop Sean Murphy has been so good, however, that he may be one of the candidates to take home the award in the National League.
Compared to the last catchers that won the MVP award, here is Murphy’s performance through his first 27 games:
Is Sean Murphy the current frontrunner for NL MVP?@Braves | #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/MJrI9RUhaI
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 4, 2023
With eight home runs, 23 RBI, and a 1.072 OPS, he compares favorably to Buster Posey, Joe Mauer, Ivan Rodriguez, Thurman Munson, and Johnny Bench.
Could Murphy join then as an MVP winner?
It will be tough to keep up his current pace, but there is no denying the guy is really, really talented.
He currently leads baseball with 2.0 Wins Above Replacement, or WAR, tied with his teammate Ronald Acuna Jr. and with Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Matt Chapman.
That means no one has contributed more to his team than Murphy, and that’s remarkable.
Oakland Athletics fans probably don’t need more reasons to mourn, but it’s fair to point out that Murphy was on their roster until last season, and they traded him in a three-team deal for so-so compensation.
He was already one of the best catchers in MLB back then, but he might be the premier option at backstop at this point.
He has looked fantastic on offense and defense, and has blossomed with a contending team.
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