The Atlanta Braves are heading into an intriguing offseason — especially when it comes to finding the next leader of the clubhouse. Brian Snitker was a great manager, but it’s become increasingly clear that he was likely to step away.
“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.”
Beyond the managerial decision, the Braves must focus on making key roster moves to push the team back into playoff contention. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has already made it clear which areas he’s targeting.
“Anthopoulos said shortstop, bullpen and rotation are among the areas they’ll discuss addressing this winter. The hope is still to retain Ha-Seong Kim, but lots of factors there,” AJC’s Gabe Burns reported.
Following the season, Ha-Seong Kim returned to his home country, where he briefly spoke with reporters. It appears the Braves have already made early moves to secure him long-term.
“On his option and what he’s going to do: ‘I don’t know. I think I’ll have to talk to my agent, and I don’t know anything about my future.’ Confirms that Atlanta was ‘making some movements’ on a contract for 2026, but declines to go into specifics,” Braves Today’s Lindsay Crosby posted.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
The Braves know just how valuable Kim is when healthy — something he clearly showed during a strong September. Since Dansby Swanson’s departure, the Braves haven’t had a consistent presence at shortstop.
Retaining Kim is a priority, and Atlanta understands how crucial it is to keep him healthy and on the field. Anthopoulos will likely do everything he can to respect Kim’s contract expectations, especially after ongoing negotiations have given him a sense of what the player is looking for.
