Ron Washington’s smile said it all. Eight weeks after undergoing a quadruple bypass surgery, the beloved former Braves coach finally made his long-awaited return to visit the Angels, the team he had stepped away from in June when health concerns forced him out of the dugout.
The news of Washington’s heart issue hit hard across baseball. He’d checked into a Southern California hospital on June 23 and stayed there until July 7 before heading home to New Orleans to recover. Just days earlier, he had stepped away from managing, and fans only later learned the seriousness of the procedure he would undergo. At 72 years old, “Wash” has always been full of energy, grit, and passion for the game — and for a moment, baseball worried it might lose one of its most vibrant personalities.
Washington Reunites With His Team
But Monday’s scene was different. Cleared by doctors, Washington reunited with his coaches and players, this time not as their fiery leader hitting fungos and firing up the clubhouse, but as a steady, smiling presence simply glad to be back around the game he loves. “I feel great. I really do,” he told MLB.com. “I’m eight weeks since my operation. They told me I could even hit fungos, but I’m just here to support my guys.”
Washington has already begun making lifestyle changes and it’s paying dividends in his recovery. This includes cleaning up his diet, sleeping better, and quitting smoking. He’s expected to be back in the dugout next season assuming everything recovery wise remains on track.
For Braves fans, this story tugs especially hard. Washington was a staple in Atlanta from 2017 to 2023. He was their third base coach who became a heartbeat of the clubhouse. He helped guide the Braves to their 2021 World Series championship, his first ring in decades of service to the game.
Manager Brian Snitker admitted in June how much Wash means to him personally: “Whatever he does, I’m going to be praying for him and hoping for the best… all we want is for him to take the right steps and get back healthy and doing what he loves.”
And there’s no doubt the Braves miss him. His voice, his energy, his contagious enthusiasm all of it left a void when he moved on. That’s why, when Atlanta hosted the Angels in July and the reunion couldn’t happen, fans were left longing for that moment. When Ron Washington does walk back onto that field healthy, vibrant, and smiling, it will be one of those moments that reminds everyone why we love this sport and the people who make it what it is.
