Back in July, baseball insider Bob Nightengale predicted Braves’ skipper Brian Snitker would retire after the season, and former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker and bench coach Walt Weiss were candidates to replace him. Since then, a lot has changed, but none of it for the better in Atlanta as the team has stumbled to a 65-79 record, fourth in the NL East, and will miss the postseason for the first time in eight seasons. So many fans assumed Nightengale’s prediction would soon be fact. But here’s where the story takes a twist..

For the whole season, Braves buzzed with one question: Is Snitker about to call it a career? Those voices grew louder after Zach Klein shared a video clip of GM Alex Anthopoulos, where he was addressing Snitker’s future.

“Snit’s going to be in this organization forever,” Anthopoulos said. “I’m not the owner, obviously. Terry McGuirk is in that role as chairman, but Snit will be part of this organization no matter what, well past when I’m here. Braves for life.” Those are big words, but notice what’s missing? Anthopoulos never promised Snitker would be back in the dugout as a manager next season.

When the reporter pressed him about the Braves’ background work in case the manager’s chair opens, Anthopoulos said, “Absolutely not. Would never do that. I think it’s a completely disrespectful thing to do or even consider. He’s the manager of the team. That’s not even crossed my mind.”

And when do those conversations happen? Anthopoulos stressed there’s no set date. “We’ve always had a very strong, organic working relationship about everything—roster, staffing, all those things,” he said. “Snit has had an incredible amount of success here, that goes without saying, second most to a Hall of Famer. And those things happen organically when the time comes.”

When asked about whether Snitker might announce his retirement early for a farewell tour similar to Hall of Famer Bobby Cox’s 2010 farewell tour, where they arranged pregame tributes in nearly every ballpark, Anthopoulos replied: “Oh, that’s not for me. No, that’s none of my business.  He’s worked a lot more years in baseball than I’ve had, and a way more successful career than I’ve had. And that’s an individual thing. That’s not for me to answer.”

Translation? They’ll talk when the season ends. Until then, it’s business, and still, the wording leaves plenty of room for a major announcement once the calendar flips.

Has Brian Snitker already dropped clues about his future?

In March, Brian Snitker told Jon Heyman: “I’ll let the year get underway and see what happens.” Around that same time, he admitted to Bob Nightengale that he actually viewed 2025 as his final season but wasn’t properly ready to lock it in. “I still feel really good,” Snitker said to Nightengale, “and the 50-number [50 years with the Braves] is something I think it’d be kind of cool. But right now, I’m leaning towards getting through today.”

Snitker’s journey is a Braves story through and through. His career began in the late 70s as a minor-league catcher in the team’s farm system. And then he moved into coaching when his playing career fizzled. From there, he managed at nearly every level of the minor leagues and served three different stints as a big-league coach for Atlanta. He then got the call to be the interim manager when the Braves fired Fredi Gonzalez in 2016. So, when he took over the flagging Atalanta team, nobody expected a decade-long tenure: nearly 800 wins, six division titles, and the 2021 World Series ring that cemented his legacy.

But who’s next if he steps away? That brings us back to Nightengale’s July scoop, where two leading names are: Walt Weiss and Skip Schumaker. Weiss, Atlanta’s current bench coach, managed the Rockies from 2013–16  but never won more than 75 games. On the other hand, Schumaker was the NL Manager of the Year in 2023 after guiding the Marlins to a surprise playoff berth. And Fredí Gonzalez can also be the dark horse to step in at Snitker’s place as well.

So, while Brian Snitker’s future is yet to be decided, if he wanted another year, could anyone really tell him no? Probably not.