Braves' Walt Weiss validates new philosophy with bold break from Brian Snitker's approach

The Atlanta Braves were in the market for a new manager once the 2025 season came to an end. Brian Snitker announced his retirement, leaving the door open for a new hire. Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos ultimately chose to stay in-house, promoting bench coach Walt Weiss.

“The Atlanta Braves hired Walt Weiss as manager Monday, turning to their longtime bench coach in hopes of a turnaround after they missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Weiss, 61, managed the Colorado Rockies from 2013 to 2016, going 283-365 and never finishing higher than third place. He inherits a talented Braves team that finished 76-86 and was ravaged by injuries,” Jeff Passan wrote.

The Braves’ new manager made it clear during the offseason that he would take a different approach than Snitker. Weiss wants to give his starters occasional rest throughout the season.

“I'm going to pick spots to get these guys off their feet, and they're still going to play a lot. If they're healthy, 150+ games,” Weiss said on Foul Territory.

In just the first weekend of the regular season, Weiss put that philosophy on display in the series finale against the Kansas City Royals by starting Jorge Mateo.

“Riding the emotional high of last night’s walk-off victory, the Atlanta Braves will look to complete a series sweep of the Royals on Sunday afternoon. Through the first couple of games of the season, it has already become clear that Walt Weiss brings a different managerial approach than Brian Snitker,” HTHB’s Chase Owens wrote. “Weiss turns to Jorge Mateo for his first start of the season, slotting him in place of Mauricio Dubón. Earlier this spring, Weiss emphasized the importance of keeping his bench engaged, and he’s backing that up early on.”

Weiss is already backing up the approach he outlined before the season began. Keeping players fresh may have been a key factor in Anthopoulos’ decision to promote him to the role.

This strategy also benefits the bench, as players are no longer expected to appear only once every couple of weeks. Instead, they will have more consistent opportunities throughout the week—whether it’s for rest or meaningful playing time—which can be valuable for the entire roster.

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