Braves: Ron Washington’s managerial stock continues to rise

Atlanta Braves third base coach Ron Washington has been a name connected to several manager openings across the league, and his stock continues to rise as the postseason goes on.

The Atlanta Braves are coming off yet another exciting playoff game victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers, doing so in walk-off fashion again. They now carry a 2-0 NLCS lead as they head to sunny LA to continue this best of seven series to determine who will win the National League Pennant and advance to the World Series.

Part of the keys of the game two victory involved aggressive base running late in the game. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with Atlanta down 4-2, Eddie Rosario tagged from first to second base after Freddie Freeman flew out.

Ozzie Albies came up and hit a single into right field, and Rosario flew around the bases and made a nifty slide to score the third run of the game for the Braves.

Up next, Austin Riley hit a long double to centerfield, and Albies would go from first to home, beating out Mookie Betts and Corey Seager’s throws, tying the game up at 4 apiece, which gave way for Rosario to be the hero again as he hit a ball off of Seager’s glove to score Dansby Swanson, helping to send the Braves to California with a 2-0 series lead.

Following Rosario’s score, the cameras zoomed in on the man who waved him home: beloved third base coach Ron Washington. “Wash”, as he is affectionately known by the players and fans, is well-known for his aggressiveness of sending runners home to score, and it paid off big time in game two.

Washington has heard his name thrown around lately as a managerial candidate for many teams, especially the San Diego Padres.

Baseball insider Robert Murray reported that Washington wants the chance to manage the Padres, and believes he can help them achieve their goals:

“I think I’m qualified…I think I can get that team over the hump. That’s my thinking. I need that general manager to think like that. I’m definitely able to get them where they want to go.”

Of course, managing is something that Washington is familiar with. From 2007-2014, he was the skipper of the Texas Rangers, leading them to two American League Pennants, four straight seasons of 90 or more wins, and was a strike away from winning the first World Series in Rangers’ franchise history in 2011 (I wonder what Texans still thinks of David Freese these days).

David O’Brien of The Athletic (paid subscription required) wrote about and interviewed Wash after the Braves clinched their fourth straight NL East, describing Washington’s impact on the clubhouse as a whole:

“Each Atlanta infielder has credited Washington, who works with them daily in one-on-one fielding drills before batting practice, for helping them become proficient defenders…Beyond that, Washington’s personality and demeanor — loud, brash, supportive, engaging, playful, fiercely loyal — has had a profound impact on the entire team.”“The day after the Braves clinched, Washington was on the field Friday afternoon, doing early work with Albies and others, the same drills they do every day. No time to rest for Washington, who was as pleased and excited by the Braves’ strong finish as anyone in Atlanta, and fired up about taking momentum to the postseason.”

Washington joined the Braves in 2016 after Brian Snitker was named the full-time manager of the team, although Wash was considered for that position as well. He stated that coming to Atlanta was the best decision of his professional career thus far, and he has loved being in Atlanta and working with so many young players.

As this postseason continues, Washington’s influence will continue to be important to the Braves. If he does move on to a manager spot in the offseason, the Braves will miss his presence in the dugout, but he will have left Atlanta better than when he first arrived.