KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two weeks into his (regular-season) Braves tenure, Sean Murphy is already feeling it.
“He’s on a nice little roll here,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “That’s a strong man, I’ll tell you that.”
Murphy starred in Atlanta’s 9-3 win over the Royals on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. The Braves (11-4) have won five in a row.
Five observations on their most recent victory:
1. In December, the Athletics traded Sean Murphy to the Braves, putting him in a new environment for the first time in his professional career. Fresh faces in the clubhouse. Different coaches. Another home ballpark. A new city and its fans.
Inside the Braves’ clubhouse, there’s someone else who knows what all of this is like, and what Murphy must be going through.
“Whether you realize it or not, you maybe put a little extra pressure on yourself to come out and get off to a hot start with a new team,” said Olson, who was traded last spring. “I didn’t think it at the time, but I realized that last year and I think (Murphy) just had a little bit of that early on. I mean, it’s natural.”
But on Monday, Murphy collected three hits, including a walk-off home run.
“To me, that was kind of his coming-out-to-the-Braves party,” Olson said after Friday’s series opener. “I think he’s going to be taking off here.”
“I just think the other day when he hit the walk-off homer, it’s like he probably breathed a sigh of relief and it’s like, ‘I’m a part (of it.),’” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
And that is exactly what has happened: On Saturday, Murphy went 3-for-3 with four RBIs. He walked once and was hit by a pitch. He scored two runs.
Since Monday, Murphy is 9-for-19 with six doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs.
Murphy said he hasn’t felt the added pressure of a new situation.
“I was just trying to do my thing, not take too much stock in whatever pressure is coming from the outside,” he said. “I was just going to go out, play my game and do what I can do, and hopefully it’s enough.”
2. Murphy terrorized Royals starter Kris Bubic.
The first inning: Murphy smoked an RBI double over the right fielder’s head.
The third inning: Murphy laced another RBI double.
The fifth inning: Bubic hung a curveball and Murphy put it over the left-center field wall for a 394-foot solo homer.
In the eighth, he drew a bases-loaded walk off a reliever as part of a four-run eighth inning that turned the game into a rout.
“It’s nice,” Murphy said. “Getting hot is always good, but doing it early and just showing the rest of the guys that you belong with them, you’re here and you can help. Feeling well right now. Just trying to stay consistent and keep it going.”
3. So, about those hot streaks ...
“They’re good when they come around,” Murphy said. “They’re not always there. Seeing it well, getting good pitches to hit and I’m not missing them when I’m getting them, which is good.”
Some more evidence, beneath the raw numbers: Dating to Wednesday’s game versus the Reds, Murphy’s last six balls in play have all left his bat at 100 mph or more – 109.7 mph, 108.1 mph, 108.8 mph, 106.9 mph, 111.3 mph, 105.8 mph. The last three were from Saturday.
4. Since spring training, fans and media have discussed tons of storylines.
Someone who might not receive enough credit: Bryce Elder, who has filled in nicely when Atlanta has needed him.
Elder on Saturday allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings – the first runs he’s given up this year. Oh, and he did that after a rain delay of 2 hours and 35 minutes before the game even started.
“Pretty good,” Elder said of how he feels. “I was pleased with today just because I didn’t really think my stuff was that great. Just the long delay and just kind of felt like I was throwing underwater. But just to be able to kind of grind it out and give us a chance to win, I was really pleased with it.”
Over his last eight MLB starts dating to last season, the righty has surrendered only eight earned runs over 50 1/3 innings pitched.
5. Ozzie Albies entered the game with six RBIs this season, and tallied four more as he notched a three-hit game.
The Braves collected 14 hits. Seven different Braves had a hit, and five had multi-hit games.
Stat to know
10 - Each of Murphy’s last 10 hits have gone for extra bases.
Quotable
“He’s one of the better guys I’ve ever met. Just real straightforward, and you know what you’re gonna get from him every day. So to see him start to swing it -- we knew it was coming, but to see him hitting this way, it’s awesome to watch.” - Elder on Murphy
Up next
On Sunday, Braves right-hander Kyle Wright will take the ball against the Royals, who will send right-hander Zack Greinke to the mound. First pitch is at 2:10 p.m. ET.
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