The Atlanta Braves have been battling adversity this entire season with out rest. Injuries have piled up like an endless storm against manager Brian Snitker, leaving them without some of their biggest stars such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, and Austin Riley.
Each injury has been a gut punch, and yet the Braves are still making a push for the playoffs. Now, they’re staring down a crucial doubleheader on Monday due to the hurricane. This adds even more pressure for a team trying to make a last minute run to make the postseason.
However, it’s not just the players we have to consider with so much riding on these last few games left in the season. Braves manager Brian Snitker has been part of this organization since 1977, first as a minor-league catcher and now as the 2021 World Series-winning skipper. He’s an Atlanta legend, but could this be the end of the line for him?
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic dropped a bit of a bombshell recently, suggesting that Snitker might be one of the managers under scrutiny as we near the season’s end. Not because of poor performance—after all, Snitker has kept the Braves competitive despite the injury nightmare—but because he might be ready to call it quits. At 68, with nearly 50 years of service to the Braves, it’s fair to ask: Does Snit still want to manage?
Rosenthal raised an interesting point. The Braves aren’t going to push Snitker out the door after nine seasons at the helm leading to six division titles, and the unforgettable World Series win. But perhaps the question is whether he wants to walk away or not. And if he does? Well, the Braves could easily offer him a cushy advisory role. With the time and energy he has put into the organization over decades, he definitely derserves it.
Snitker’s a competitor through and through. Could he really retire after a season where his team potentially misses the playoffs? Wouldn’t he want one last shot to lead a fully healthy roster with Acuña, Strider, Riley, and all?
The Braves have five games left to decide their fate this season. For Snitker, those five games might carry even more weight, especially if he’s considering hanging up the lineup card for good.
