ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves signed newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy to a $73 million, six-year contract, locking up another key player with a long-term deal.

The contract signed Tuesday includes a $15 million club option for 2029 with no buyout that could raise the total value of the agreement to $88 million.

Murphy will make $4 million in 2023, $9 million in 2024 and $15 million each season from 2025 through 2028. He agreed to donate 1% of his annual salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.

After the uncertainty of playing with the low-budget Oakland Athletics for the past four seasons, Murphy is looking forward to putting down roots in Atlanta with a team that has won five straight NL East titles and captured the World Series championship in 2021.

“My wife is looking forward to having a spot where she feels comfortable, at least for a while,” Murphy said. “That’s important to us.”

The deal follows a familiar pattern of the Braves agreeing to new contracts with players who are still under club control for an extended period. Over the past year, they reached long-term deals with sluggers Austin Riley and Matt Olson, as well as rookie stars Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider.

Atlanta previously signed outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and second baseman Ozzie Albies to similar pacts, ensuring that seven core players are under contract for at least three more seasons – and often much longer – with club options that could extend the deals even more.

“It’s an honor to be included in that mix,” Murphy said. “Going forward, I can’t see this team being anything but great over the next several years.”

The 28-year-old Murphy was acquired from the Athletics shortly after the winter meetings in a three-team deal that also included the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Braves sent All-Star catcher William Contreras and minor league pitcher Justin Yeager to the Brewers, while backup catcher Manny Pina and pitching prospects Kyle Muller, Freddy Tarnok and Royber Salinas went to Oakland.

Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos acknowledged paying a heavy price but said it was worth the cost to acquire one of the game’s top catchers.

Murphy was heading into his first year of arbitration and wouldn’t have been eligible for free agency until 2026.

ROYALS: The Kansas City Royals were specific in their shopping list for a starting pitcher: They wanted someone capable of throwing a lot of innings, which would take some of the strain off the rest of their young and promising staff.

They decided that right-hander Jordan Lyles was the right fit.

The Royals announced their $17 million, two-year deal with the 32-year-old Lyles a week after agreeing to terms with him. The Royals made space for him by designating for assignment first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, whom they had just re-signed last month to a $1.4 million contract to avoid salary arbitration.

GIANTS: Left-hander Taylor Rogers is joining twin brother Tyler as a reliever with the San Francisco Giants, agreeing to a $33 million, three-year contract.

On April 11 in San Francisco, they both pitched in the same game, with Taylor playing for San Diego at the time. It was the second time in major league history that twins pitched in the same game and the first time on opposing teams.

The Giants announced the deal that will pay Taylor Rogers $9 million next season and $12 million each in 2024 and 2025. San Francisco designated infielder Tommy La Stella for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster for the 32-year-old Rogers.

Taylor Rogers, a 2021 AL All-Star for Minnesota, went 4-8 with a 4.76 ERA and 31 saves over 66 appearances in 2022 with San Diego and Milwaukee. His 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings is the best ratio over a full season of his career – 84 batters in 64 1/3 innings.

Taylor, a lefty, and Tyler, a righty, are from Littleton, Colorado, and turned 32 on Dec. 17.

A COURT in the Dominican Republic convicted 10 of 13 people accused of attempting to murder former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz in Santo Domingo in 2019, according to reports.

Eddy Vladimir Feliz Garcia and Rolfi Ferreyra Cruz, the accused shooter, were sentenced to 30 years in prison, according to an ESPN report. The two received the longest sentences among the defendants.

Eight other defendants got sentences ranging from five to 20 years in prison, according to the verdict from the First Collegiate Court of Santo Domingo.

Victor Hugo Gomez Vasquez, the alleged mastermind of the attack, is one of three defendants who were acquitted due to insufficient evidence, the ESPN report said.

Dominican authorities said the full sentence will be read on Feb. 8, 2023.

YANKEES-BRAVES: The Atlanta Braves acquired left-handed reliever Lucas Luetge from the New York Yankees in exchange for two minor leaguers.

The Yankees acquired right-hander Indigo Diaz and infielder Caleb Durbin.

Luetge, 35, posted ERAs under 3.00 while pitching in at least 50 games in each of the last two seasons with New York. The left-hander was 4-4 with a 2.67 ERA and two saves in 2022. He had 60 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings.

In 2021, Luetge was 4-2 with a 2.74 ERA and one save.

Diaz, 24, was 3-4 with a 3.08 ERA and four saves in 49 games with Double-A Mississippi in 2022. Durbin, 22, hit .241 in a combined 105 games for the Braves’ Class A teams in Augusta and Rome last season.

MARLINS: The Miami Marlins agreed with infielder Jean Segura on a two-year, $17 million contract, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said.

The deal is contingent on Segura – a two-time All-Star – completing a physical, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Marlins had not announced the signing.

It’s the first free-agent move of the offseason for the Marlins, who are coming off a 69-93 season – their 12th losing record in the last 13 years. .

Segura batted .277 in 98 games, then hit .214 for Philadelphia in the postseason.

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