PHILADELPHIA — On Sunday, when a reporter asked Sean Murphy if he believed he could avoid the injured list, Murphy said to ask him in 48 hours.
So on Tuesday, the reporter jokingly asked Murphy the same question.
“Can I tell you in another 48 hours?” Murphy said, laughing.
“We’ll see.”
It’s truly a waiting game.
On Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park, Murphy did exercises to work out his injured right hamstring. He said he ran at 50-60%. He said he tested it with “starts” – the initial burst when beginning to run – and skipping, among other things.
“Yeah, just making slight progress on it and moving forward,” Murphy said. “So far, so good. Feels promising.”
He is not on the injured list, which could be encouraging on its own. You would think the Braves would’ve put him there if he felt any pain or discomfort that didn’t seem likely to go away in a few days.
“It’s day-to-day,” manager Brian Snitker said before Tuesday’s series opener against the Phillies.
For the second time in as many games, Murphy was not in the lineup. Teams can backdate an injured-list placement to the day after the injured player last appeared, but clubs can make it retroactive only as much as three days.
What this means: If Murphy needed to hit the injured list, the Braves have until Wednesday to backdate it to Sunday.
Murphy has been receiving treatment constantly. “After I’m done talking to you, (I’ll be) back in the training room,” he said. He said his hamstring has improved each day.
Murphy left Saturday’s game after tweaking his hamstring. His MRI revealed mild inflammation. He felt encouraged because the imaging confirmed what he believed: The injury indeed was mild.
“No promises on any day (to return),” he said Tuesday. “But the way we’re progressing, hopefully I feel good enough soon.”
The Braves on Sunday brought up Chadwick Tromp to serve as the backup catcher. The Braves have three catchers on the roster – Murphy officially is on the roster, even if he’s sidelined – and that’s left them without a backup middle infielder.
At this point, Murphy is trying to knock out the hamstring irritation. He said it wouldn’t affect his squatting behind the plate, but he obviously needs to be healthy for everything else his job entails.
“Not worried about the catching,” he said. “Just making sure we can do everything before we can get out there and do anything.”
The fact that the Braves have not yet put him on the injured list seems promising. That appears to indicate the injury isn’t bad.
As for when Murphy will return?
Everyone is in wait-and-see mode.
“It’s one of those things (that) when they tell me he’s ready to go, I’ll put him back in there,” Snitker said.
Fried throwing bullpen sessions
Last week, Snitker said Max Fried was throwing short-box bullpen sessions. A “short-box” side session is one in which the catcher is moved up closer to the mound.
Fried has progressed to throwing full-distance side sessions. Fried is beginning to throw his entire repertoire in those bullpen sessions.
At this point, it’s simply a matter of building him up before he can head out on a rehab assignment.
“He feels really good,” Snitker said.
Fried is on the injured list because of a forearm strain.
Lee checking the boxes
Dylan Lee also is throwing bullpen sessions. He’s beginning to hurl all his pitches in them.
The difference with Fried and Lee: Fried is ramping up for a starting pitcher’s workload, whereas Lee will need only to build up for two-inning appearances.
A month ago, the Braves placed Lee on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation.
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