The Atlanta Braves are in the final week of the regular season — and possibly the final week of Brian Snitker’s time as manager. While there has been no official word on whether this is his last season, the signs are pointing in that direction.
“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.”
On Monday, the Braves added a familiar face to the roster for the final stretch: Charlie Morton will finish the season in Atlanta.
“Morton, 41, is signing with the Braves, the team announced Monday. Manager Brian Snitker announced the move to reporters but added that he's not certain if Morton will pitch for the team in their remaining six games,” Yahoo Sports’ Ian Casselberry wrote.
That same night, the Braves made a bit of MLB history before the regular season winds down.
“Over their last 9 games, the Braves: haven't lost, haven't committed an error, haven't scored fewer than 5 runs, haven't allowed more than 5 runs. No other team in MLB history has done that over a 9-game span,” Opta Stats posted.
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This is the version of the Braves many expected to see all season — a dominant, complete team. Instead, that team has shown up only as the season nears its end.
Still, Atlanta seems to be going out on a high note, which could serve as a spark heading into next year. While this season has been largely disappointing, this late surge is a promising sign.