Would the Braves actually move off Brian Snitker?

Braves manager Brian Snitker made headlines last week when he revealed that he hasn’t yet decided on his future, citing “unfinished business” as a reason he might manage past this season—despite most assuming he would retire at year’s end.

“It changes, honestly,” Snitker said, via David O’Brien of The Athletic. “And again, this is the first time I’ve ever been through this, thinking these thoughts. And also, just kind of — I don’t want to look back in a year and regret things. But I want to make sure I know where I’m going.”

Those aren’t typically the words of a man eager to hang it up. If anything, they sound like someone leaning toward coming back. The bigger question may be whether the Braves want him back.

Despite all the success Atlanta has had under Snitker’s watch — seven straight postseason appearances, six NL East titles, and a World Series — the team has regressed in every season since 2023 and failed to win a playoff series since 2021. For a club that is build to compete for championships, that’s a frustrating trend, and a strong argument can be made that Snitker might no longer be the best man to lead Atlanta into 2026 and beyond.

However, an equally strong argument could be made for keeping Brian Snitker. The success the club has had with him at the helm speaks for itself. He is the second-most decorated manager in the franchise’s history, behind only Bobby Cox. Those two are the only people that can say they’ve managed a World Series team in Atlanta. Can the blame really be pointed at Snitker for the Braves’ struggles over the last two seasons?

Atlanta has been decimated by injuries. Every member of the team’s Opening Day rotation spent more than a month on the IL, with four of them going down for the season. The lineup has dealt with its share of absences as well, but perhaps even more damning has been the underperformances from the team’s star players, which is not an indictment on the manager.

If blame must be assigned, it’s hard to ignore the offseason decisions of general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Atlanta entered 2025 with glaring needs at shortstop, in the rotation, bullpen, and outfield — and none were adequately addressed. The Braves’ only major addition, Jurickson Profar, was suspended 80 games for PEDs just four games into the season. That’s bad luck, but the failure to properly reinforce other areas falls squarely on the front office.

How can Anthopoulos, in good conscience, sit down with Brian Snitker after the season and pin the team’s failures on him?

Brian Snitker is the last of the Braves’ worries, and his track record of success has earned him a lot of good grace with the organization. If he really has a desire to manage again in 2026, it’s hard to see a world where the Braves say, “Good riddance.”