Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Saturday he hopes to move quickly as he begins his search for a successor to Brian Snitker as manager but that he has not conducted any interviews.
Snitker, 69, announced Wednesday he won’t return after 10 seasons as the Braves’ manager.
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Even though Snitker’s decision wasn’t a surprise, Anthopoulos insisted he wasn’t going to begin compiling a list of candidates before giving the manager time to finalize his plans.
When asked what the Braves would have done if Snitker wanted to return for the 2026 season, Anthopoulos said: “He would have been back. That’s why we were going to wait and give him the time he needed.”
Former Braves catcher and Chicago Cubs skipper David Ross told The Associated Press on Thursday he wants to manage again. Ross said an opportunity to manage the Braves “would be amazing.”
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Anthopoulos insisted “we do not currently have a list” and said “I wanted to get some things done internally” before beginning his search.
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“I will now turn my attention to the manager,” Anthopoulos said. “… We have not spoken with anybody.”
Snitker led the Braves to the 2021 World Series championship as the highlight of almost a half-century with the organization. He will remain in an advisory role and will be inducted into the team’s hall of fame next season.
Anthopoulos said he and Snitker have an agreement on a five-year term as senior adviser but added that could change.
Two coaches on Snitker’s staff have experience as a manager. Bench coach Walt Weiss is Colorado’s former manager. Third base coach Fredi González is a former manager with Atlanta and the Marlins.
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There has been speculation that other possible candidates are former Braves infielder Mark DeRosa and Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty. Former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker was named the Texas Rangers’ skipper on Friday night.
“Before Skip Schumaker was named, there were eight openings,” Anthopoulos said. “That’s a lot of openings. … That makes it incredibly challenging.”
Anthopoulos said his timeline to make a hire could be impacted if he focuses on a candidate who is also of interest to another team.
“Of course as soon as possible with so many openings,” Anthopoulos said when asked how soon he hopes to make a hire. “You can’t just rush it or force it. … You’d love to be able to do it sooner than later.”
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Snitker posted a record of 811-688 as manager. He ranks third in franchise history in wins, trailing Bobby Cox (2,149) and Frank Selee (1,004). He led the Braves to seven postseasons, including six NL East titles.
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