Atlanta Braves fans are very much in their feelings right now and that is understandable. The Braves' playoff aspirations are in real jeopardy after four straight bad losses and fans are looking for a scapegoat to take their frustrations out on. Despite being one of the most successful managers in team history, some fans have even begun to turn on Brian Snitker and calling for his ouster.
Those folks going that far are obviously ridiculous. While reasonable people can disagree about Snitker's in-game decisions at times, anyone suggesting that he is the cause of the Braves' misfortune this season needs to seek help. Atlanta has been absolutely ravaged by injuries this season to the point where a guy like Jorge Soler has been pressed into service as a right fielder. The margins for error in baseball are so small and with the Braves down at least four of their best players, some brutal stretches are going to happen.
However, that doesn't mean that Snitker is going to be around forever. In fact, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman, there is a real chance that once Snitker finishes out his current contract at the end of 2025, he could retire from baseball.
There's a 'decent chance' that Brian Snitker retires after next year, per @JonHeyman pic.twitter.com/xD21mDOJ50
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) August 7, 2024
Jon Heyman suggests Brian Snitker could retire from Braves after 2025 season
To be clear, Heyman was adamant that this wasn't sourced information but instead more of a feeling. However, logic here is honestly pretty sound. While Snitker has only been the Braves' manager since 2016 after Fredi Gonzalez got dismissed, he has been with the Braves as a coach in the major and minor leagues for decades. Sniker will turn 69 this October which means that he will finish next season at the age of 70 which is very close to how old Bobby Cox was when he retired back in 2010.
The Braves and fans shouldn't be itching to push Snitker out the door. Not only has Snitker earned better than that given his tenure with Atlanta, but the number of potential managers that would actually represent an improvement or even match Snit's abilities is a very small group. Every manager infuriates fans sometimes, but winning six straight division titles and a World Series doesn't happen by accident.
However, Snitker's age is a real thing. He certainly hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, but he also has a wife that surely would love to have him home more often and grandkids who adore him. He deserves to go out on his own terms, not because the Braves lost a bunch of All-Stars to injuries in one season. If the end of his career with the Braves is coming, fans should be grateful for all the moments he helped give them.