There have been an abnormally high number of managerial roles to fill going into this offseason, with eight teams needing new managers going into the 2026 season, with the Atlanta Braves being one of those teams.
With the Nationals hiring the youngest manager in half a century, the Braves, likely one of the most desirable positions, are one of the few teams remaining that still have a vacant manager spot. But with one more managerial role filled, it only grows more apparent who is in line for the Braves role, and it's clear that that announcement will need to wait until the end of the World Series.
Danny Lehmann seems destined for Braves' manager spot
Prior to hiring Blake Butera, the Washington Nationals had shown interest in Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann. Lehmann has been the Dodgers bench coach since 2023, and has received interest from the White Sox last year as well.
Last week, Mark Bowman of MLB.com mentioned that Lehmann's candidacy had strengthened, and noted that he was the Dodgers' advance video scout when Alex Anthopoulos was with the Dodgers in 2016 and 2017. Lehmann is currently trying to win his second straight championship, which has likely delayed accepting any managerial role.
Earlier this week, David O'Brien of the Athletic hypothesized that the Braves were delaying their announcement as they wait for the World Series to end. With the Nationals, a team who had expressed interest in adding Lehmann, hiring someone else, it only seems inevitable that the 40-year-old is headed to Atlanta once the 2025 season officially concludes.
The Padres and Rockies are the only other teams aside from Atlanta that haven't hired a manager for the 2026 season, and neither seem to be interested in the Dodgers bench coach. While there's still a chance the Braves still go with someone like Ryan Flaherty or George Lombard, neither coach is still fighting for a championship, making the delay more puzzling.
It would not be shocking to see the Braves announce the successor to Brian Snitker within the next week, as the World Series will conclude by Saturday at the latest.