In his most recent season with the Atlanta Braves, veteran catcher Travis d’Arnaud delivered underwhelming stats, batting .238 with 15 home runs over 307 at-bats. It marked his second straight season of below-average offensive output. This was a notable drop from his earlier success in Atlanta, where he earned a 2022 All-Star selection and won a Silver Slugger in 2020.
Even though his performance had declined since 2023, d’Arnaud still provided value as a backup to the often-injured Sean Murphy. Given Murphy’s health issues, having a seasoned player like d’Arnaud—known for clutch moments—was somewhat of a luxury, especially as the Braves’ catching depth faced challenges.
So when it came time to decide on d’Arnaud’s $8 million team option for 2025, the logical choice seemed to be picking it up. However, the Braves chose otherwise, declining the option and allowing d’Arnaud to enter free agency. The move left Atlanta thin at the catching position, and appeared risky—until it started paying off.
After parting ways with the Braves, d’Arnaud signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. But in Anaheim, his performance has nosedived; heading into Tuesday, he was hitting just .200/.250/.317 with a single home run—numbers that would mark career lows. In hindsight, Atlanta’s decision to move on looks increasingly wise.
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Back in Atlanta, the scenario took an unexpected turn. As predicted, Murphy went down with another injury, forcing rookie Drake Baldwin into a larger role. Baldwin has thrived, posting an impressive .357/.400/.583 slash line with four homers, quickly emerging as the front-runner for the National League Rookie of the Year. His hot bat has been key to the Braves’ resurgence, propelling them from the bottom of the NL East standings into contention with the Phillies and Mets.
In retrospect, the Braves’ bold move to let d’Arnaud go has worked out exceptionally well. If Baldwin secures the Rookie of the Year award, the team will also earn an additional first-round draft pick. Whether their decision was based on analytics, gut instinct, or plain luck, Atlanta’s gamble is clearly paying dividends.
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