The Braves’ catching depth took another hit.
Atlanta placed second-year backstop Drake Baldwin on the injured list Tuesday with a strained right oblique muscle, sidelining one of the bright spots from an otherwise banged-up roster.
The news comes less than a week after the Braves’ other catcher, Sean Murphy, who recently recovered from hip surgery, was placed on the IL with a fractured left middle finger that is expected to sideline him for nearly two months.
The loss of Baldwin is a major blow for Atlanta, which is off to the best start in the National League.
The reigning NL Rookie of the Year had been perhaps the best-hitting catcher in baseball through the first two months of the season, slashing .303/.389/.543 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs.
Baldwin exited Monday’s loss to the Marlins in the sixth inning after lining out.
He is headed to Atlanta to undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury and a potential timetable for his return.
The Braves will now turn to veteran backstop Sandy León and Chadwick Tromp, who was called up to replace Baldwin, until their catching duo gets healthy.
Atlanta will get a small respite Tuesday night when star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., who has been out since May 2 with a left hamstring strain, is expected to return to the lineup.
The Braves’ starting rotation has been hit hard by injuries as well, with Spencer Strider just recently returning from a right oblique strain and Spencer Schwellenbach still waiting to make his season debut as he recovers from an elbow fracture.
Nothing has slowed down Atlanta thus far in 2026, though.
The Braves are 32-16 heading into Tuesday’s play, good for the best record in the senior circuit and a seven-game lead over the second-place Phillies in the NL East.
