Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy needs to figure out how to change his luck because right now it's working against him.
Murphy just made it back off the injured list last week and now he's facing yet another injury concern. The Braves just have to hope this one is less serious than the one he suffered on Opening Day, keeping him out for two months.
In the ninth inning of Tuesday's game, Red Sox pitcher Chase Anderson caught Murphy in the elbow with a 91-mph fastball. It took just seconds for the impacted spot to start swelling up like a balloon, quite literally.
Sean Murphy has left the game after being hit by a pitch on his right elbow pic.twitter.com/JfXkSPo4OU
ā Talkinā Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 5, 2024
Braves C Sean Murphy got hit in the arm ⦠and it doesnāt look good. pic.twitter.com/mRknJWLzyH
ā Barrett Sallee šŗšø (@BarrettSallee) June 5, 2024
Fans coped with some entertaining tweets. What else can you do?
Did Sean Murphy's elbow grow a head? Hope it's nothing serious š
ā šŖØšŗšøš¦ (@braveswerchamps) June 5, 2024
Live look at Sean Murphy in the clubhouse right now pic.twitter.com/jznNoIiKxJ
ā Mak ā¾ļø š (@NCBravesGirl) June 5, 2024
Sean Murphy's elbow looks like an alien is trying to pop out after getting hit by that pitch. Yikes
ā stephen (@Shrimp_Pimp1206) June 5, 2024
Sean Murphy now has a golf ball inside his right elbow
ā Jaš“ (@JaReD_12_) June 5, 2024
Sean Murphy can't escape the freak injury bug
Swelling like that does not look good at all. Indeed, it spelled the end of Murphy's night. He was taken out of the game, which ended in a Braves victory shortly after.
Considering the injury road Murphy has faced this season already, getting injured in the top of the ninth with two outs just feels like he's cursed.
Hopefully, the Braves can get that thing wrapped up with some ice, get the swelling down and confirm that Murphy will be A-okay. That's the best case scenario at least.
Aside from Murphy's injury, it was a great time to be with the Braves on Tuesday. Max Fried set a career high for strikeouts with 13. Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia homered as Atlanta downed the Red Sox, 8-3.
UPDATE: According to Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, X-rays on Murphy's elbow were negative.
Sean Murphy initial X-rays were negative. Day to day.
ā Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) June 5, 2024
Murphy is now day-to-day. Even better, he indicated that another trip to the IL might be avoidable.
Sean Murphy was in good spirits. He seemed confident heād be able to play in the next couple of days and avoid the IL. So it appears like he avoided anything serious.
ā Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) June 5, 2024
All of this depends on how his arm heals up over the next few days. Fortunately, it doesn't look like he's in for a long absence.