Report: Braves’ Sean Murphy out four to six weeks with cracked rib

Sean Murphy‘s Atlanta Braves tenure continues to be derailed by injuries.

The 30-year-old backstop will once again be forced to miss time after suffering a cracked left rib in spring training, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.

The injury occurred when he was hit by a pitch in Friday’s game against the Miami Marlins.

Murphy will be out four to six weeks, which means he will miss opening day and be sidelined as the Braves begin the 2025 season.

Atlanta acquired Murphy from the Athletics as part of a three-team trade in December 2022 before signing the Peekskill, N.Y., native to a six-year, $73 million extension.

Murphy was named an All-Star in 2023, but he appeared in only 108 games due to a hamstring strain.

Last season, Murphy suffered an oblique strain on opening day and missed the next two months. He ended up slashing .193/.284/.352 with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs over 72 games.

Murphy’s absence will open the door for Atlanta’s top prospect, Drake Baldwin, to earn a spot on the Braves’ opening day roster.

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Panthers GM Bill Zito hopes to get Matthew Tkachuk back for playoffs

The Florida Panthers will be making their playoff push without one of their top stars.

General manager Bill Zito confirmed Monday that Matthew Tkachuk was placed on long-term injured reserve, which will keep him out for an extended period.

“I don’t think it says anything other than we have cap space,” Zito told reporters. “Matthew is going to be out for an extended period of time, and we hope to get him back for the playoffs.”

By placing Tkachuk on LTIR, the Panthers can now use his $9.5-million cap hit to make additions ahead of the trade deadline.

Some of that space has already been used after last week’s trade for Seth Jones with PuckPedia reporting that Florida has $8.7 million in cap space remaining with 21 active players on the roster.

Tkachuk sustained a groin injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off while playing for Team USA.

The injury has held Tkachuk out in all four of the Panthers’ games since returning from the break.

Tkachuk is second on the Panthers in scoring with 22 goals and 57 points over 52 games this season.

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Yankees 3B DJ LeMahieu injures calf in spring training debut

TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees’ third baseman DJ LeMahieu injured his left calf in his spring training debut.

Serving as designated hitter, LeMahieu was injured Saturday on his second at-bat in New York’s 9-3 win over the Houston Astros.

“That’s not ideal, just with all that he’s had to deal with,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters. “We’ll see what we have there, and we’ll see how significant it is. These soft tissue things have popped up on him, so it’s at least a little concerning.”

It’s the latest in a string of injuries for the 36-year-old LeMahieu, who ended last season on the injured list with a right hip injury after missing the opening months of the season after fracturing his right foot on a foul ball in spring training.

Those injuries limited him to just 67 games last season where he hit a career-worst .204 with just two homers and 26 RBIs.

LeMahieu, who has two years remaining on a six-year, $90 million contract he signed in 2021, was the frontrunner to be New York’s everyday third baseman. If this injury keeps him out for an extended time, the Yankees will need Oswaldo Cabrera or Oswald Peraza to step up to fill the position.

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Canada’s Kingsbury claims his 97th World Cup victory in moguls

Mikaël Kingsbury, of Deux-Montagnes, Que., claimed his 97th World Cup moguls victory despite the final being cancelled due to fog.

The Canadian’s score of 81.7 points in qualifying earned him the gold, edging out South Korea’s Jung Dae-yoon and Japan’s Ikuma Horishima.

The win guarantees Kingsbury the Crystal Globe for single moguls, his 27th World Cup season title.

In the women’s event, Tess Johnson claimed gold with 77.68 points, narrowly defeating American Jaelin Kauf (77.66 points).

Japan’s Rino Yanagimoto took bronze. 

The freestyle skiing competition resumes Saturday with parallel moguls.

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