The Braves announced they’ve traded catcher Jonah Heim to the Athletics for cash. He was just designated for assignment this evening when Atlanta welcomed Sean Murphy back from the injured list.
The A’s subsequently announced the trade as well, placing Shea Langeliers on the paternity list in a corresponding move. They already had an opening on the 40-man roster after losing infielder Andy Ibáñez on waivers to the Mets last week. They’re off tonight but will presumably have Heim available for tomorrow’s series opener in Philadelphia.
Heim goes back to the team for which he made his MLB debut six years ago. Originally an Orioles draftee, he was traded to the Rays and then to the A’s (for infielder Joey Wendle) while in the minor leagues. The switch-hitter reached the Majors during the shortened season, playing in 13 games. The A’s traded him to the Rangers the following offseason as part of the Elvis Andrus/Khris Davis swap.
That turned out to be an excellent pickup for Texas. Heim struggled as a rookie in 2021 but broke through as a capable starting catcher the following year. He took another step forward in ’23, earning an All-Star selection and winning a Gold Glove while hitting .258/.317/.438. Heim was the starting catcher for the Rangers’ World Series run that season.
His production has taken a nosedive over the last couple years. Heim combined for a .217/.269/.334 batting line in more than 900 plate appearances between 2024-25. Although his strikeout rate was mostly unchanged, his walk rate dipped slightly and he lost a couple points on his hard contact percentage. Texas non-tendered him last winter, cutting him loose for what would have been his final season of arbitration.
Heim signed a $1.25MM free agent contract with Atlanta early in Spring Training. Murphy was rehabbing from last fall’s hip labrum surgery. The Braves needed a short-term backup but would have had a tough time carrying three catchers once Murphy returned to join Drake Baldwin. Heim showed reasonably well over 12 games, hitting .231/.311/.410 with one home run in 45 plate appearances. He had an even number of walks and strikeouts (five apiece). The defense was a little more concerning, as he failed to catch any of the 13 runners who attempted to steal against him. He didn’t commit any passed balls but was behind the dish for six wild pitches in 103 innings.
Like the Braves, the A’s have one of the best starting catchers in MLB. Langeliers will be back within the next three days or so. Austin Wynns has backed Langeliers up all season, but he’s out to an .086 start without an extra-base hit through 13 games. The A’s probably wouldn’t have assumed Heim’s salary only to carry him on the roster for a few days. Both he and Wynns have over five years of service time and could refuse a minor league assignment while collecting their remaining salaries. Wynns is playing on a $1.1MM arbitration deal.
