Braves' Brian Snitker may have accidentally hinted at managerial decision beyond this season

Hunter Cookston

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Braves' Brian Snitker may have accidentally hinted at managerial decision beyond this season image

The Atlanta Braves have had one of their worst seasons in the last decade. Their downward spiral began as early as June and didn’t seem to stop until the final two weeks of the season. However, change may be coming to Atlanta, as manager Brian Snitker could be on the verge of retirement.

“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.”

Snitker has refused to comment on his future beyond this season, but he has hinted that there's still some unfinished business left on the table.

“I still feel like there's some unfinished business," Snitker said earlier in September.

While he hasn’t offered any definitive statement, some of his recent comments seem to dance around the subject—neither confirming nor denying a return.

“In response to a question about Hurston Waldrep, he talked about how he was glad that he pitched through the end of the season as it helps him understand what it will take going into next season as well as talking about how fun it has been seeing his growth. When asked about Tyler Kinley, he said, ‘I didn’t realize what we were getting anything like that, I tell you that. It’s a nice piece to have going into ’26, that’s for sure.’ Whenever given the opportunity to not place his perspective into the Braves' future, he declined to do so,” HTHB’s Eric Cole wrote.

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If Snitker is speaking from a personal point of view, it may suggest he’s planning to return next season. A manager of his stature deserves a proper send-off—not a quiet exit.

Snitker is beloved throughout the entire Braves organization. If he were truly planning to retire, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t receive the recognition he deserves. GM Alex Anthopoulos certainly wouldn’t let Snitker walk away silently.

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Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.