Atlanta’s complete remaking of its 2026 coaching staff continues, adding the Orioles’ 2025 interim manager as third base coach and the Giants’ former pitching coach to run the bullpen.
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves’ hiring of Walt Weiss as their new manager was just the start. The subsequent purging of the veteran coaching staff made it clear that the organization is taking things in a different direction following Brian Snitker’s retirement.
After stealing two highly-regarded coaches from the New York Mets earlier in the week, the Braves did not stop there.
On Friday, the Braves continued the complete “remaking” of their coaching staff with the announcement that Atlanta was bringing in Tony Mansolino as their new third-base coach and JP Martinez as their new bullpen coach.
Tony Mansolino Brings Managerial Experience
If Mansolino’s name is familiar, it’s because he spent the majority of the 2025 season as the interim manager for the Baltimore Orioles. After the O’s fired Brandon Hyde on May 17, Mansolino (who was the third-base coach) took over and guided the team to a respectable 60-59 record the rest of the way.
The Orioles played better under Mansolino, but the difference wasn’t big enough to persuade the front office to keep him. They instead hired Craig Albernaz as their new full-time manager. Atlanta now gives Mansolino, 43, a chance to join a coaching staff expected to contend for a playoff spot and potentially get another managerial opportunity elsewhere down the line.
JP Martinez Brings Data-Driven Success
As for Martinez, 43, he most recently served as the pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants. Under his watch, the Giants’ pitching staffs were “generally quite good,” even when their lineups were “abominations.”
The Giants’ bullpen, in particular, posted a 3.44 ERA in 2025, the third-best in Major League Baseball. It likely didn’t hurt his case that San Francisco had a data-driven approach under former GM Farhan Zaidi, making Martinez familiar with how to blend traditional coaching and advanced metrics.
Is a Ron Washington Reunion Still Possible?
For those sad that these hires make a Ron Washington reunion look unlikely, that may not be the case.
The Braves still do not have a bench coach to fill the spot vacated by Walt Weiss. Such a role could suit “Wash” perfectly, assuming his health allows for a return to the dugout at all. Washington, who underwent quadruple bypass surgery this summer, is reportedly cleared to return to coaching in December.
Things are getting interesting in Atlanta, and the roster-addition portion of the offseason hasn’t even begun.
