Braves manager Brian Snitker reveals his decision about speculated retirement

Thursday is a day of mourning for the Atlanta Braves, who were eliminated from the Major League Baseball playoffs by the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.

The Braves had won at least one game in the postseason every year since 2017, but too many things were working against them this season.

Injuries to Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider, and Austin Riley had already decimated Atlanta's roster, then right before the playoffs, they got one more gut punch when Cy Young favorite Chris Sale was deemed unable to pitch with a lingering back injury.

If all that wasn't enough, the Braves also have had to worry about the potential departures of some beloved faces of the franchise. Starting pitcher Max Fried is an impending free agent, and rumors that manager Brian Snitker might consider retirement had also circulated.

At least one of those things appears to be taken care of, however. Snitker put the retirement rumors to bed forcefully in the wake of the loss when asked if he planned to return.

"Oh, absolutely," Snitker said, per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I wondered if I would get that question. I wish spring training started tomorrow, quite honestly. I just told the guys that."

"I can’t wait to get to camp and hopefully have our guys whole again. And I’m going to be excited to get there probably more than I ever have been next year, quite honestly. I said I’m exhausted but, honestly, I wish we could fast-forward and be there tomorrow. I’m serious, too. I can’t wait to get there with our guys and do this again.”

Snitker, who turns 69 on Oct. 17, has been in the Braves organization since 1977, when he was a minor-league catcher. He worked his way through the ranks as a minor-league manager and finally took over the Braves job in 2017.

Since then, Snitker has produced almost nothing but success, winning the hearts of every Braves fan in the process. Atlanta will rejoice when their skipper takes the field for Spring Training in 2025--and hope for better luck the next time around.

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