The Atlanta Braves are entering the 2026 season with several new faces on the coaching staff. This follows former manager Brian Snitker stepping down at the conclusion of the 2025 season. Once again, the Braves turned to an in-house name, hiring 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,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote.
The Braves have done a solid job addressing their needs this offseason. One area that still requires attention is the starting rotation, but GM Alex Anthopoulos wants any new addition to bring playoff experience.
“We’ve explored the starting rotation, adding and getting some type of starter, whether that’s a trade or signing. We’d like for it to be someone impactful, someone we think can start a playoff game,” Anthopoulos said.
One name to watch as free agency continues is veteran Chris Bassitt, coming off a World Series championship.
“Bassitt is 37, but he’s made 30-plus starts each of the past four seasons. He didn’t make any postseason starts for the Blue Jays, but he had a 3.23 ERA over the final nine starts he made for the American League champs. If he could duplicate what he did this past year for Toronto (170 1/3 innings and 3.96 ERA) he would give the Braves exactly what they need, as long as Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach and Spencer Strider stay healthy,” MLB.com’s Mark Bowman wrote.
The Braves would welcome Bassitt not only for his pitching but also for his leadership in the clubhouse. He could be the difference-maker for Atlanta this season in the top-heavy NL East.
The Braves are aiming for a bounce-back season, one that avoids injuries at all costs. Last year, the rotation was thin at times, so adding another experienced arm would be a major boost.
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