The Atlanta Braves‘ catcher room just collapsed. Monday’s game not only brought the Braves a 12-0 loss against the Miami Marlins, but also sidelined their 25-year-old star catcher, Drake Baldwin. As the Braves announce a corresponding roster move, fans can’t help but worry about the upcoming games.

Among a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, the Braves announced that Baldwin has landed on the 10-day injured list (IL). Baldwin is suffering from a strained right oblique muscle that he reportedly sustained during the Marlins game. Drake Baldwin’s bat has been on fire this season. He leads all Major League catchers with a fantastic .932 OPS, hitting .303 with 13 home runs. On the Braves roster, only Matt Olson has more homers and a higher slugging percentage.

Losing the reigning NL Rookie of the Year is a massive blow that the Braves’ lineup cannot easily replace. In his last seven games, Baldwin is 8-for-23, clocking 3 homers and 6 RBI while hitting .348.

Catcher Sean Murphy is also on the IL due to a fractured finger, leaving the franchise to call up Chadwick Tromp from Triple-A. The 31-year-old is hitting just .169 with 3 homers in 24 games for Gwinnett. His .179 BABIP is also well below the major league average.

The second-year major leaguer exited Monday’s blowout loss after being lined out in the sixth. He also recorded one of the only four hits against the Marlins on Monday. This catcher crisis comes at a critical time. Even though the Braves hold a strong 32-16 record and a seven-game lead in the NL East, losing their best hitter threatens their playoff positioning. It also exposes a glaring hole ahead of the trade deadline.

The front office also made pitching changes. Lefty Dylan Dodd returns from the IL following his rehab assignment. At the same time, they have also released Aaron Bummer. The lefty had a rough time with the Braves, posting an ERA of 7.63 across 15.1 innings, with opponents hitting .281 against him. Against Miami, he gave up 6 runs on 3 hits, including 2 homers and 5 walks in an inning.

Meanwhile, with the Braves not having a timeline for Baldwin’s return, fans in Atlanta are left frustrated.

Braves fans react to Drake Baldwin’s injury

One fan wrote, “Braves can never be fully healthy. Therefore, Acuna is back today, so someone must get hurt.”

Injuries have heavily impacted the Braves’ roster over the last two seasons. Just before Baldwin landed on the IL, the Braves reinstated Ronald Acuna Jr on May 18 after recovering from a left hamstring strain. He also missed the majority of the 2024 season due to a torn right ACL. After an elbow injury that needed an internal brace procedure in 2024, Spencer Strider landed on the IL again in Spring Training with an oblique strain this year.

“Hopefully this is something with Baldwin that just clears itself up in 10 days,” one user commented.

Another agreed, “Noooo! We need Drake for sure. Hope he’s healed up and ready to go again soon.”

The oblique strain has put a halt to Drake Baldwin’s breakout season. He has reportedly returned to Atlanta for an MRI. Once the imaging results come back confirming the severity of the injury, a timeline for his return can be determined.

As the Braves suffered a 12-0 blowout for the series opener in Miami, one fan remarked, “Welp, there goes the season. We looked like a little league team yesterday.”

Marlins starter Max Meyer shut the Braves’ lineup down with six scoreless innings. The Marlins’ bullpen also dominated, keeping the shutout intact. Their pitching staff as a whole gave up just 4 hits while striking out nine in nine innings.

Frustrated with the injuries, another fan wrote, “For the love of God, find a new strength and conditioning coach.”

Injuries keep haunting the Braves. Fans are starting to question the medical staff, especially since head strength and conditioning coach Brad Scott has overseen the team since 2016. Jordan Wolf assists him.