Braves Place Star Catcher Drake Baldwin on 10-Day IL with Oblique Strain

The Atlanta Braves faced a tough blow on Tuesday as they placed star catcher Drake Baldwin on the 10-day injured list due to a strained right oblique muscle. Baldwin, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, had played in the series opener against the Miami Marlins on Monday but exited the game after his third plate appearance in the sixth inning, during a challenging 12-0 loss for Atlanta.

Braves manager Walt Weiss addressed the situation, acknowledging the inevitability of injuries in a long MLB season. “Everyone deals with this,” Weiss said. “It’s part of a major league season. Virtually every team is going to deal with their fair share of injuries. It’s tough when it happens to your best players. You’ve got to find a way to get through it and guys have to step up.”

Baldwin initially felt some discomfort after his second at-bat, but it wasn’t severe enough to warrant an immediate exit. “He felt a little more after the last at-bat. I took him out of the game after that one,” Weiss explained. “Obliques are obliques and they’re never fun to deal with.” The 23-year-old catcher has returned to Atlanta for an MRI and further evaluation.

Despite this setback, Baldwin has been a standout performer this season. Entering Tuesday, he boasted a team-leading .303 batting average and 57 hits, while also tying with Matt Olson for the team-high with 38 RBIs. Baldwin’s rookie season was remarkable, as he became the first catcher since Buster Posey in 2010 to win Rookie of the Year, hitting 19 homers and driving in 80 runs, garnering 21 of 30 first-place votes.

As Baldwin heads to the injured list, the Braves welcome back five-time All-Star Ronald Acuña Jr., who had been sidelined since May 2 due to a left hamstring strain. Acuña was activated on Monday and will hit leadoff as the designated hitter on Tuesday. “I guess, if there is a silver lining, we replace Baldwin with a guy like Ronald Acuña,” Weiss remarked. “Not many teams get to do that. That’s the good news there. But truth be told — we’re losing arguably our best hitter. Drake has been unbelievable.”

With Baldwin out, the Braves have selected the contract of catcher Chadwick Tromp from Triple-A Gwinnett. Tromp and Sandy León will share the catching duties during Baldwin’s absence, as Atlanta aims to navigate this challenging period.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.