The Atlanta Braves are heading into an offseason that promises significant changes once the new MLB calendar year begins. To re-establish themselves as true World Series contenders, the Braves may need to make some key trade decisions this winter—and one name likely on the move is Sean Murphy.
“The rest of Atlanta’s remaining pieces are either building blocks that cannot be dealt or have lost all potential trade value. With this in mind, Murphy should be tasked to bring in a fix for another position. Baldwin can be the starting catcher, with a backup brought in to help ease the workload and put Baldwin in the designated hitter role sporadically. This move is fueled not only by the emergence of Baldwin, but the need for the Braves to cut payroll while improving,” ATL All Day’s Nick Halden wrote.
Another significant change looming is the expected retirement of manager Brian Snitker at the end of the season—or at least, that’s the growing speculation.
“Because of that consistent recent success, Snit would normally be afforded a ‘mulligan’ year—even though going from the second-best preseason World Series odds to possibly the third-best odds of winning the draft lottery is a pretty serious mulligan,” Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wrote. “At 69, though, he’s already the oldest manager in the National League by a several-year margin and was likely to retire at the end of this season, which is the last one in his current contract.”
If Snitker does step away, the Braves won’t need to look far for a replacement. It appears the organization already has their next manager lined up from within the clubhouse.
“As it turns out, MLB Insiders from Jon Heyman to Bob Nightengale all agree the job is Weiss’s to lose,” FanSided’s Mark Powell wrote. “Very rarely are managers gifted the opportunity to pass the baton, but in this case Snitker has a chance to leave the Braves in some very good hands.”
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Hiring bench coach Walt Weiss would be a seamless transition. The players have an established relationship with him, and he’s highly respected inside the clubhouse. Unless something unexpected happens, the job appears to be his to lose.
