On Wednesday, Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker announced his retirement following the team's disastrous 2025 season, which culminated in them not making the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Still, Snitker's announcement drew an outpouring of love from the baseball world for his commitment to the organization, and he will remain on board with the Braves in an advisory role moving forward.
Thus begins the search for a new manager for the Braves, and recently, Braves insider Grant McAuley stopped by 92.9 The Game to share what he thinks the team should be looking for in potential candidates.
“You look at how much change over happens, multiple managers inside seasons for teams, multiple years and consecutive years of firing or releasing or dismissing managers and just not really being able to find that continuity, so that I think is at the focal point of what the Braves search is about is how can they create the continuity and maintain the culture that they’ve created that Brian Snitker was a big part of,” said McAuley.
The Braves might not want to maintain the exact culture they've had with Snitker over the last few years, as the team has not won a playoff series since their 2021 World Series.
Audacy reported that “Early names that have been circulating as possible candidates to be the Braves’ next manager are Walt Weiss, Bruce Bochy, Mark DeRosa, David Ross, and Tony Vitello.”
A big decision for the Braves
The Atlanta Braves reached the pinnacle of the sport in 2021, hoisting a World Series trophy that year, but unfortunately, things have gone downhill since then for the team, culminating in them missing the postseason altogether in 2025.
Atlanta spent most of this year dealing with both injuries and major regression from up and down the roster, and the result was a turbulent season filled with trade rumors and angst from the fanbase.
Whoever the team hires as its next manager will be inheriting a talented roster but one that tends to underperform when the lights are brightest, which isn't ideal.
There's no word yet on when the Braves are expected to make their decision.
