The Atlanta Braves continue to slide down the standings, and it’s very clear some pretty significant changes need to be made in the offseason.

The Braves have a number of roster needs. Both shortstop and second base have to be seriously evaluated, and another outfield bat/DH feels like a must. On top of that, their entire bullpen needs to be reconstructed, starting with a closer. And as always, they could use more starting pitching — at least one proven arm, if not multiple.

This is not going to be a cheap fix. The Braves have to stop shopping at the dollar store and start spending money, or they’ll find themselves in this exact same spot next season — selling at the trade deadline with one of the worst records in the league.

However, the changes don’t start with the roster. Most expect Brian Snitker will decide to step down, leaving the Braves searching for a new manager for the first time in nearly a decade.

This is an organization that typically likes to hire from within, which is why bench coach Walt Weiss has been floated as a possibility. But this really feels like a club that needs a new voice, someone that can come in and really shake things up, which is why hiring from outside the organization sounds more appealing if Brian Snitker does indeed decide to retire at season’s end.

Skip Schumaker

Schumaker is expected to be among the most coveted managerial candidates of the upcoming hiring cycle, and it’s not hard to see why. The 2023 NL Manager of the Year led the Miami Marlins on a surprise playoff run in his first year with the club, but after dealing with a family emergency in 2024, he announced he would not return for the 2025 season. Assuming he’s ready to get back in the trenches, he’s certainly someone the Braves should be considering.

David Ross

The Braves clearly have an affinity with players that have been apart of the organization in the past, and David Ross fits that billing, spending four seasons with the club from 2009-2012. Ross was most recently the manager for the Chicago Cubs, where he won a World Series as a player, compiling a 262-284 record over four seasons from 2020-2023 and making one postseason appearance.

Mark DeRosa

Mark DeRosa grew up in the Braves farm system and spent his first seven seasons with the club. He’s yet to try his hand at managing in Major League Baseball since retiring as a player in 2013, but he has been the manager for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Given he’s currently got a pretty good gig over at MLB Network, it won’t be easy to convince him to get off the couch. However, perhaps he might be more willing to do so for a familiar organization like the Braves.

Travis d’Arnaud

This one is sort of out of left field, given d’Arnaud is under contract for next season with the Angels. I don’t imagine he will want to give up the opportunity to make $6 million. However, there’s no question d’Arnaud could consider retirement in the near future, and most expect he will soon make an excellent manager. If the opportunity presented itself, perhaps there is a world where he would consider becoming the Braves next manager instead of continuing his playing career.

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Photo: Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire

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