In the last 36 years, the Braves have only had three managers. With Brian Snitker’s days as the Braves manager ended, the Braves have picked someone from within the team to take Snitker’s place. That is none other than Snitker’s bench coach since 2018, Walt Weiss.

After the team announced the news on November 3, a striking message came from within the team, which looked like a warning for the rivals. And that came from the veteran Pierce Johnson, who showed optimism after Weiss’ promotion.

Pierce Johnson on MLB radio said, “He’s ready to win. He brings a different mindset when it comes to attacking the game”. With this, the Braves veteran not only endorsed the new manager, but he also sent a notice to the other teams after a disappointing season in 2025, where the Braves finished 4th in the NL East with 76–86 (.469). Johnson added, “I’m super fired up. Walt is the absolute man. Been able to have him as the bench coach for the last two and a half years for my tenure in Atlanta”.

Weiss had been hired as a bench coach on November 10, 2017, and Johnson was traded to the team in July 2023. So definitely there would be a connection between Johnson and Weiss. Johnson also praised Weiss and said, “He brings a little bit of a different mindset when it comes to kind of attacking the game, and I think that might be something our team needs is a little bit of fire”. This will be the second managerial position of Weiss. The 1988 AL Rookie of the Year, with a 14-year career in the majors, steered the ship of the Rockies from 2013 to 2016. However, in that tenure, he delivered an unfruitful performance with 283-365 numbers.

Now, Weiss is tasked to get things back on track for the Braves, who made seven consecutive postseasons where the team won six NL East titles between 2018 to 2024. By promoting from within, Alex Anthopoulos is doubling down on the status quo. Weiss knows the team and understands its desire. At the same time, the Braves know him. Weiss has been with the team longer than all the current Braves stars except Ozzie Albies.

After the Braves’ internal leadership picture became clear, attention rapidly shifted toward the roster, specifically the significant gap at shortstop. With key offseason decisions on the horizon, Atlanta’s next move could define how competitive they will be as they enter 2026. 

Braves Predicted to Target $175M Star Marcus Semien Amid Ha-Seong Kim Exit

As per Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter, the Atlanta Braves could try a daring trade for Marcus Semien of the Texas Rangers after Ha-Seong Kim rejected his player option and entered the free agent market. Reuter also suggests that Semien, a three-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove, and World Series champion, could provide an “outside-the-box solution” to the Braves’ shortstop dilemma. Regardless of spending the last 5 years at second base, Semien spent six earlier seasons at shortstop and remains a strong defender up the middle.

The 35-year-old veteran still has 3 years left on his seven-year, 175 million contract, and though his .669 OPS in 127 games last season hints at decline, his leadership and experience could make him a perfect contender for the Braves roster still built to win now. Atlanta’s past audacity to take calculated risks of acquiring high-priced veterans, such as Chris Sale, adds further pressure to his potential move.

With Walt Weiss taking charge and probable contenders such as Marcus Semien, trade on the horizon, the Braves appear all set to rekindle their competitive edge. Stability in leadership and bold roster decisions could define Atlanta’s 2026 resurgence.