Braves’ World Series Wait: Why Dodgers’ Danny Lehmann Is the Top Pick to Replace Snitker – A Fresh Voice for Atlanta’s Future.vc
Atlanta, October 28, 2025 – The Atlanta Braves are in no rush to fill their managerial void after Brian Snitker’s emotional 2025 retirement, and for good reason: Their top target, Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann, is knee-deep in the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Lehmann’s “candidacy has seemingly strengthened over the past couple weeks,” with the Braves holding off on an announcement until the Fall Classic ends—potentially delaying into November. At 40, the analytics whiz—former Dodgers video scout and game-planning coach—brings a modern edge to a franchise craving reinvention after a 76-86 skid. With ties to GM Alex Anthopoulos and a resume from MLB’s gold standard organization, Lehmann edges rivals like Ryan Flaherty and George Lombard. Braves fans, this isn’t impatience—it’s precision. The chop is coming, but only when the Series wraps.
Snitker’s Exit: A Graceful End to a Golden Era
Snitker’s October 1 farewell capped a 10-year run of seven straight postseasons and the 2021 World Series triumph, but 2025’s injury-ravaged collapse (Acuña’s knee, Strider’s rehab) signaled change. “It was time,” Snitker said tearfully, transitioning to a senior advisor role through 2030. Anthopoulos, known for secrecy (“You won’t have anything if we do it right”), has kept the search airtight, ruling out David Ross, Mark DeRosa, and John Gibbons. Internal options like Walt Weiss and Eddie Pérez faded without a succession plan. Now, with the Giants, Angels, and Rangers filling vacancies, Atlanta lags—but it’s by design.
Lehmann’s Rise: Analytics Ace with Braves Roots
Lehmann, 40, is no stranger to success: A 10-year Dodgers lifer, he rose from video coordinator (2015–17) to bench coach under Dave Roberts since 2023, contributing to three straight NL West titles and the 2024 World Series. His unconventional path—advance scouting, game-planning—aligns with Anthopoulos’ data-driven ethos; the pair overlapped in LA (2016–17), staying in touch since. “Lehmann’s bandwidth for info is crazy,” Roberts praised, hinting at his edge in blending analytics with in-game decisions.
At 40, Lehmann offers longevity over Snitker’s 69-year-old tenure, signaling a youth infusion for a core led by 27-year-old Acuña and 28-year-old Riley. The Braves’ top analytics department craves his process-oriented approach, per The Athletic’s David O’Brien: “Waiting for Lehmann signals a commitment to cutting-edge analytics.” On X, fans buzz: “Lehmann from the Dodgers dynasty? Chop on!” one post hit 5K likes.
The Competition: Flaherty, Lombard, and the Dark Horses
Lehmann leads a narrowed field of three, per insiders: Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty (39, ex-Brave, player development guru) and Tigers bench coach George Lombard (50, Atlanta native, ex-player). Flaherty’s Cubs success (2025 NLDS) and Lombard’s Hinch mentorship shine, but neither matches Lehmann’s Dodgers pedigree. Ron Washington (ex-Angels) and Bud Black (ex-Rockies) lurk as dark horses, but O’Brien rules them out: “No succession plan for Snitker means fresh blood.”
| Candidate | Age | Braves Tie | Key Strength | WS Complication? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danny Lehmann | 40 | Anthopoulos (2016–17) | Dodgers analytics | Yes (bench coach) |
| Ryan Flaherty | 39 | Ex-player (2018) | Player dev. (Cubs) | No |
| George Lombard | 50 | Ex-player (1998–99) | Leadership (Tigers) | No |
The Stakes: A Swift Series End for a New Chop
The Braves’ delay isn’t indecision—it’s strategy. With the Dodgers up 1-0 in the Series (Game 2 tonight), a quick Blue Jays upset could free Lehmann by October 30; a Dodgers sweep pushes to November 5. Bowman notes interim interviews are possible, but etiquette holds: “No poaching mid-Series.” Fans on X plead: “Hurry the Series—Lehmann’s our guy!” one thread hit 3K retweets.
A Lehmann hire signals evolution: Youth (average age 43 for finalists), analytics (pairing with Chipper Jones as hitting coach?), and continuity (Anthopoulos’ partner). It’s a Dodgers blueprint for Atlanta’s rebuild.
Conclusion
The Braves’ World Series “rooting interest” isn’t Freeman nostalgia—it’s a desperate dash to end the Dodgers’ run and snag Danny Lehmann. At 40, with Anthopoulos’ trust and LA’s winning ways, he’s the fresh voice to rally a 76-86 squad. Braves fans, pray for a Jays miracle: Your next skipper’s waiting in the dugout. Chop soon.
