Braves quietly made move to improve depth behind Drake Baldwin, Sean Murphy
· Yahoo Sports
The Atlanta Braves continue battling to remain atop the National League East as the 2026 MLB regular season enters its most important stretch.
Entering Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays with an 85-61 record, the Braves hold a three-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the division. The Braves have lost three straight ahead of Thursday’s matchup and will look to get back on track to maintain their division lead.
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One of Atlanta’s strengths this season has been its catching tandem of Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy. Baldwin has continued to establish himself as one of the Braves’ most important young players, while Murphy provides an experienced defensive presence behind the plate.
With October approaching, Atlanta is comfortable with Baldwin and Murphy handling the position. However, the team quietly added some insurance behind them.
The Braves signed nine-year veteran catcher Eric Haase to a minor league deal on September 1, according to the MiLB Transaction tracker, assigning him to the Florida Complex League. The move flew largely under the radar, but it does give the team some additional depth if necessary down the stretch.
Haase has bounced around this season. He began the year with the San Francisco Giants organization and eventually appeared in 29 major league games before being released in July. He then signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox and spent a brief stint with Triple-A Charlotte before being released again in August.
While Haase could potentially provide the Braves with additional catching depth in the postseason, the Braves are unlikely to need him unless something happens to Baldwin or Murphy. The 33-year-old struggled in his 29 games with the San Francisco Giants this season. He slashed .162/.235/.365 with four home runs and nine RBIs, striking out 28 times to only six walks.
Despite those struggles, Haase brings plenty of major league experience to Atlanta. He has appeared in parts of nine MLB seasons, with his best coming in 2021 with the Detroit Tigers, when he hit a career-high 22 home runs.
For a team with postseason aspirations, adding that insurance on a minor-league deal is a low-risk move that could prove valuable should an unexpected injury occur.
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