“There is a lot of responsibility here, but I embrace it,” Weiss (above) said about being the manager of one of Major League Baseball’s most popular and successful franchises. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

The Atlanta Braves named former bench coach Walt Weiss as their new manager. Former Braves manager Brian Snitker announced his retirement at the end of the 2025 season, and the Braves didn’t go far to find his replacement.

On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Braves held a press conference to formally introduce Weiss as their next manager. The upstate New York native walked into the press conference room in the bowels of Truist Park and was immediately given a Braves jersey and cap. Weiss would once again wear his old uniform number. 

“There is a lot of responsibility here, but I embrace it,” Weiss said about being the manager of one of Major League Baseball’s most popular and successful franchises. 

In the front two rows were Weiss’s family, which includes four sons, Braves star and Baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, former manager Brian Snitker, and current Braves starters Drake Baldwin and Jurickson Profar. 

Weiss thanked Snitker several times during the press conference, saying that Snitker and former Braves manager Bobby Cox had brought him back to Atlanta, which had helped make this new opportunity possible.

Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

“The standards are high, the expectations are high, and that’s a good thing,” said Weiss, who turns 62 on November 28. “We can hit the ground running.” 

Braves General Manager and President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopolous sat next to Weiss during the press conference. Anthopolous was asked about the hiring process several times by members of the media. Anthopolous, 48, didn’t reveal the exact process, but said he had his mind made up by Sunday, a day before the announcement was made via the Braves’ social media feeds.

“Obviously, this has been a long process for us,” Anthopolous said. “This was important for us to get it right.”

Weiss has spent eight years on the Braves bench and will be seen as a safe hire for the franchise. The fact that Weiss has a losing record asd a manager might be seen as a gamble, but the former Major League shortstop said he understands what he is getting into.

“I understand the impact of this Braves brand,” Weiss said. “The fact is that I’ve been here, and that has been established, so I think we can hit the ground running.” 

This will be Weiss’s second stint as a major league manager. He managed the Colorado Rockies, one of his clubs, from 2013-2016. During those four years, the Rockies were under .500 for all four seasons. Weiss’ career record is 283-365. The Braves team that he will manage when spring training begins in early 2026 is much better than the teams he managed in Colorado. The expectations for the Braves will be high after missing the postseason in 2025.

This will be Weiss’s second stint as a major league manager. He managed the Colorado Rockies, one of his clubs, from 2013 to 2016. During those four years, the Rockies were under .500 for all four seasons. Weiss’ career record is 283-365. The Braves team that he will manage when spring training begins in early 2026 is much better than the teams he managed in Colorado. The expectations for the Braves will be high after missing the postseason in 2025.

Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

Weiss will be the 39th manager in franchise history, and he credited his time in Colorado for the lessons he learned as a manager.

Weiss, the 1988 American League Rookie of the Year with the Oakland A’s, spent 14 years as a shortstop in the majors. His final three seasons, 1998, 1999, and 2000, were spent with the Braves. That span includes his only MLB All-Star Game appearance in 1998. Weiss hit over .330 in the A’s four-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox in 1988. He played in two World Series for the Oakland Athletics before moving on to play for the Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies, and the Atlanta Braves. 

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