Mets potential bench coach has strong Brian Snitker connection, Braves face nightmare scenario

The Atlanta Braves knew during the season that manager Brian Snitker might not return next year. This was the worst season under Snitker since he took over the job, and the move to part ways seemed inevitable long before it happened.

“Because of that consistent recent success, Snit would normally be afforded a ‘mulligan’ year—even though going from the second-best preseason World Series odds to possibly the third-best odds of winning the draft lottery is a pretty serious mulligan,” Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wrote. “At 69, though, he's already the oldest manager in the National League by a several-year margin and was likely to retire at the end of this season, which is the last one in his current contract.”

Snitker offered no hints during the regular season, but not long after it ended, he made it clear he wouldn’t be back.

“Brian Snitker will not return as manager of the Atlanta Braves, sources tell ESPN. He informed the team of his decision yesterday. But he will remain with the organization in a senior advisory capacity,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported.

While the Braves will move forward without Snitker, the New York Mets might soon bring in his son, Troy Snitker.

“It isn't a guarantee, but the Mets hiring Snitker would very likely make their offense better. For Braves fans, this is obviously not ideal. One should not underestimate the Mets ability to screw things up and they could easily end up hiring strictly worse coaches than the younger Snitker. However, if they stumble into the right choice here, it could make the NL East an even bigger uphill climb for the Braves in 2026 and beyond,” HTHB’s Eric Cole wrote.

Hiring Troy Snitker would be a smart move for the Mets, but it would be a tough pill to swallow for Atlanta fans. Seeing the Snitker name in opposition to the Braves just doesn’t feel right.

There will likely be some time before the Mets make their decision, but adding Snitker to their staff would certainly make their coaching group more experienced and well-rounded.

More MLB news: