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Ronald Acuña Jr. chimes in on Braves next manager debate

Originally posted on SportsTalkATL | By Chase Irle | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 11:25 AM ET

As of now, there have been no leaks about who might take over as the next Atlanta Braves manager, and nobody really knows what Alex Anthopoulos is considering.

There are plenty of potential candidates from a variety of backgrounds, but one suggestion recently brought up by Chuck and Chernoff on 680 The Fan seems to have caught the attention of Braves superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.

During their show on Wednesday, the hosts discussed whether it might make sense for Anthopoulos to target a Latin-born manager who could better connect with players like Acuña, Ozzie Albies, and others in the clubhouse.

“How important is it—or not—for the Braves to have a Latin-born manager?” Chernoff asked.

“Could they think younger, bilingual, Latin-born?” he continued. “Is that something that might be an advantage to us both now and in the future?”

It’s a fair question and one Anthopoulos will likely consider, especially if he hopes to keep Acuña in Atlanta for the long haul. The reigning MVP didn’t shy away from signaling his stance, either, liking the video of the segment on Instagram.

https://t.co/sxmzVglQsO pic.twitter.com/AWGdxoko3f

— 680 The Fan (@680TheFan) October 9, 2025

On several occasions, Ronald Acuña Jr. has thrown some public shade at former manager Brian Snitker, mostly stemming from an incident where he was benched for not running out a ball he believed was a home run.

To be clear, none of that was Snitker’s fault. It was more a reflection of Acuña’s immaturity. That same lack of maturity resurfaced this year when Acuña took to social media to criticize his manager for not benching Jarred Kelenic following a similar incident.

The two situations, however, were entirely different. Acuña’s benching came after numerous prior offenses, while Kelenic’s mistake was an isolated one.

Still, there’s something to be said about keeping your superstars happy. If hiring a Latin-born manager could help ensure Acuña remains in Atlanta for the remainder of his career — or even help attract other Latin American free agents — it’s worth serious consideration. It is far from the most important factor, but if Alex Anthopoulos finds himself split between two candidates, perhaps it is something that would break the tie.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission.

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