Alex Anthopoulos has to shoulder some responsibility for the glaring issues at left field and shortstop, as well as the bullpen’s glaring ineffectiveness. Of course, the players share in the blame, too—nearly the entire roster is underperforming in relation to either their contracts or preseason expectations, with the notable exceptions of Ronald Acuña Jr. and Drake Baldwin.
When the pressure’s on, this Braves team crumbles—both at the plate and on the mound. They lead the majors in one-run games but consistently fail in those situations, thanks to a shaky bullpen and a lineup that can’t deliver in key moments. It’s a formula that’s doomed to fail.
Brian Snitker isn’t immune to criticism, but he’s certainly not the main problem—despite what some fans claim. As the manager, his influence is limited when the front office has handed him a flawed bullpen and a lineup featuring two near-automatic outs at shortstop and left field, along with underachieving stars like Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies.
At the core, this Braves roster has structural issues. There’s no margin for error, and firing Snitker isn’t the magic fix some believe it to be. Multiple insiders have pushed back on the idea of a managerial change.
“I know fans don’t want to hear it—they’re calling for Snitker’s job, and for Anthopoulos’ too,” Ken Rosenthal said on Foul Territory. “But I don’t think they’re going to make a move unless Snitker chooses to step down, which seems unlikely.”
Rosenthal emphasized that Snitker isn’t to blame for the team’s performance woes.
“There are problems here, but they’re not on him,” Rosenthal said. “You can’t blame him for Harris posting a .580 OPS or Albies sitting at .650. Sure, it’s his job to maximize what he has—but there’s only so much a manager can do with this.”
Fans are clearly fed up, hoping a managerial change might light a fire under the team. But as Bob Nightengale echoed, it’s not happening.
“Even with Atlanta’s struggles and the real possibility of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017, Snitker’s job appears secure,” Nightengale reported. “He’s led this team to seven straight playoff appearances and a World Series title. His contract is up after this season, and he’s expected to transition into a special assistant role.”
Ultimately, a flawed roster, poor execution in tight games, and key players underperforming are what’s driving Atlanta’s disappointing season. Snitker plays a role, but he’s far from the biggest issue.