The Braves announced that they’ve hired Fredi González as third base coach. Matt Tuiasosopo, who had held the role, has agreed to be reassigned to the position of minor league infield coordinator.
González is back with the club he managed between 2011-16. They posted a .512 win percentage during that time, making consecutive playoff berths in 2012-13. They were en route to a last place finish in 2016 when González was fired in the middle of May. They promoted organizational staple Brian Snitker from Triple-A to take the job. Snitker has been there ever since and is behind only Hall of Famers Bobby Cox and Frank Selee (who managed the team at the turn of the 20th century when they were known as the Boston Beaneaters) on the franchise’s all-time win leaderboard.
Snitker and González are familiar with one another. Snitker served on the MLB staff as third base coach between 2011-13. Mark Bowman of MLB.com notes that the two longtime friends met last week while the Braves were playing in Philadelphia, though he adds that was not related to the job search. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said the team didn’t seriously contemplate making the change until yesterday.
González has not managed since being fired by Atlanta. He spent a few seasons as third base coach in Miami before joining the Orioles’ staff in 2020. That included three seasons as bench coach until he was let go last winter. He makes his return to an MLB staff in place of Tuiasosopo, who spent a year-plus in the position after replacing Ron Washington.
The Braves have had four runners thrown out at home plate this season, including one on a particularly bad send in which Jarren Duran easily cut down Alex Verdugo on May 17. Atlanta also had a crucial ninth-inning miscue in a one-run loss to the Padres on May 23. Eli White was on second base and advanced towards third on a line drive single to center field. White misread a stop sign from Tuiasosopo and evidently believed he was signaling that the ball had been caught. He needlessly tried to scramble back to second base and was thrown out. It’s tough to fault Tuiasosopo for that one — White took responsibility postgame and called it “a bad read and misjudgment on my part” — but the situation magnified some of the team’s baserunning mistakes. The Braves will hope that González’s return helps reduce those.
Somehow, Fredi returned.
Wrong Fredi link in the article…the writer needs to get his stuff together lol
oh, oh. looks like Snitkers days might be numbered.
Gonzalez is not coming back as manager he was fired for a reason back then
Trading away all the good players had nothing to do with it, right?
Won’t be too surprised if Snit calls it as big league mgr after this season and does one more year in the system then retires. I think that’ll make it a full 50 years with the org. Feels like he’s at the very least a bit disinterested and at most over it and starting to get left behind a bit. I’m a fan and he’s been great, but starting to feel like time to switch it up for both the team and Snit. Not saying it’s FG though.
Watching Snit in the dugout looks like he’s merely going through the motions.
Maybe he retires after the AS break and Weiss takes the helm with FG being bench coach?
Possibly the next manager if this doesn’t turn things around?
Nah, Walt Weiss is next in line
I am still upset that Fredi was let go by the Orioles after last season.
You are?
He is.
If Snit steps down during the season (he may just be worn out), I would see Weiss as a more likely interim. Fredi may really be there to be the 3B coach.
Obvious the Braves are likely prepping Fredi to replace Snitker in the next month or so when ownership cleans house with the Braves circling the drain.
Why does everyone hate snitker so much?
I know that he’s made some bad decisions late in games but the braves are back in contention again
9.5 out of the East, 5.5 out of the wild card, AJ Smith Shawver and Reynaldo Lopez out for the year, Strider looking awful since his return.
Significant firings are coming in Atlanta – with Snitker and GM Alex Anthopoulos likely in the most danger – a major teardown is coming.
Interesting story you’ve spun there, and entirely fictional.
For starters, the Braves aren’t firing Anthopoulos; that’s borderline ridiculous. He helped Atlanta to win a World Series just a few years ago. Sure, he’s made a few mistakes since; every GM does. He’s gotten a ton right, though.
Secondly, the Braves are not going to fire Snitker, either. They may make a change for next year, be it Snit’s choice or their call. If they do, they’ll allow the man to retire gracefully. He’s earned that.
Third, there will be no teardown. The sky isn’t falling. They’ve just been decimated by injuries, and losing Acuna Jr and Strider for part of this year hurt.
What will likely happen is they’ll play out this year, possibly moving Ozuna. This year it’s pretty clear they were resetting the tax. This off-season, they’ll spend to fill holes.
I seriously doubt a major tear down is coming. Most of the players in the starting nine are there to stay. Snit is as good as gone, but AA can stay and huff his own farts for awhile longer I’m sure.
1. Anthopoulos should’ve been fired 2 years ago after the wild card exit – the team’s farm is depleted with few assets to make deals for help, and he’s made huge mistakes signing Olson, Murphy and Harris to extensions – 2 are already albatrosses, and Harris II needs a stint in AAA to fix his bat.
And Albies is terrible (83 OPS+) and is likely going to see his option declined.
And Ozuna is playing with a torn hip – basically destroying any trade value he has.
2. Braves will fire Snitker soon. Ownership is not going to sit around and let him continue managing a team that is well below .500 and already paying far too much in payroll for their market (regardless of The Battery).
3. Acuna and Strider haven’t fixed this team’s problems. The real issues are with the team’s roster and coaching staff.
4. The team needs a LOT – but free agency isn’t going to provide help, especially with a weak crop.
I hope that tradeacuna guy comes here because he would be the only person to understand your hot takes to say it nicely
Mute alert
Phillies and Mets haven’t won a ws recently. Keep dreaming.
I see you like writing fan fiction.
Drugs are bad mmmkay
@digiblader: There’s absolutely no reason to rebuild this team. They need a lf’er, a SS, and 2-3 pieces in the pen Everything else is fine. No assets in the minors? There’s plenty of pitching. Most of the position players are at the lowest 2 levels, but the Braves don’t have a huge hole anywhere other than SS. Hope you come back at season’s end to admit how wrong your take was.
How do you know Digiblader isn’t TradeAcuna?
@digiblader I find it hilarious when people like you mention how bad the Braves farm system is. But yet every. single. year. the Braves bring up 1-2 guys who end up being ROY candidates. Just in the past few years the decimated farm has produced Strider, Harris, Swellie, AJ and now Baldwin. By now it should be obvious to you and most that the Braves might be a little better at evaluating talent than the folks who come up with the prospect and farm system rankings.
Glad you are not in charge. Terrible take
This is so hilarious. Olson is 1 of the few guys hitting the ball hard. Strider’s made 3 starts after not pitching for a year and a half. Harris is the same age most guys are when they get their first call up. Anthopolous is a top 5 GM in baseball. I wouldn’t mind Snitker being gone after this year. I wouldn’t mind Snitker was gone this winter. The game has passed him by, especially when it comes to bullpen management. They need to fire their hitting coach. His new approach is the opposite of the team’s strengths and the results have proven it. They need to find a real, productive shortstop. But a complete tear down is ludicrous!
Oh crikey. I really hope they do not pivot back to Fred Gonzalez as the manager again… like ever!
Great well-respected coach. This coaching staff is loaded
It’s like they’re trying to sabotage everything
When things aren’t going well let’s fire the 3rd base coach. That will send a message
Sorry, reassign the 3rd base coach
I don’t remember seeing this move before. Pitching coach or hitting coach for sure.
If you think Braves fans are sick of Snit, the idea of Freddi being the manager again would make most of us truly lose our minds.
As long as he stays at third base….
I thought fredi did well coaching third in the past. I truly hope he does not manage the braves again though.
Should have stuck to football Tui
That was his brother, Marques Tuiasosopo. Matt played in MLB for the Mariners, Tigers, and Braves
Matt played FB at UW, with me
The Farm system was depleted because ownership would not spend money on free agents and explored trades instead! AA has been cash strapped by ownership for years! This so called $22M AAV Max for players extentions or free agent signings is a number from ownership, not the GM. He can only spend what he is allowed to. If anyone hasn’t figured that out, you don’t know anything about professional sports economics! Ownership has a self imposed cap for the team! Do you actually think AA enjoys having to watch the waiver wire every day in order to find low cost washed up players? No!
He would rather have the same expenses as the Mets, Yankees, and Dodgers. But he doesn’t!
Ownership has a cash cow at the gate, but won’t spend!
And by ownership, you mean Braves CEO Terry McQuirk, who has “sole and exclusive” voting over the 44% of majority of stock, as appointed by Liberty CEO John Malone. He has total control over operations, finances and future decision-making.
ownership can only spend what they make at truist … its in their contract., hence they made all the rentals and other revenue sources… they cant use their outside money or else we could have the same payroll as mets and yankees… not to mention have u seen those teams tv deals? thats why they can spend so much
A joke move by a third rate organization
Guess the Braves looking for early round exit if they make the playoffs. Even more ominous is kimbrell doing well in the minor leagues. Hope not another kimbrell warming up in the pen with ohtani on deck and kimbrel not called to pitch.
Braves just having a down year. They’ll get through it
Poor Matt Tuiasosopo. Lost his job because White doesn’t know how to run bases.
wow. what an unforgiving profession this is. Yes, he should have pointed at the bag with the stop sign on other hand, But I agree I blame White more than Tuiasosopo.
Yes, that’s pretty much what third base coaches are taught from Little League forward (stop sign while pointing to the base). White was a good soldier and fell on his sword.
Braves are just unlucky. Good team roster wise, Good manager, great GM. They can’t compete with LA NY teams for free agents because ownership and lack the pitching depth to absorb 2 major losses but a teardown is ridiculous and firing AA is beyond ridiculous. The role out with mostly same squad in March 2026 and are a good bet for a playoff spot. Albies, Riley, Olson are all better than they are showing. That said AA could trade a ketchup popsicle to lady with white gloves so if they wave the white flag on 2025 I imagine they can restock with eyes on both short and long term success
For those of you who are freaking out because Fredi was our manager during our rebuild, and we were terrible DURING OUR REBUILD, relax. First, managers don’t have the impact on a game you think they do… those teams were really bad back then. 2nd most people don’t pay attention to the 3rd base coach, and because of this you fair weather fans don’t have a club on just how bad Matt Touiasosopa was. He was chronically making bad reads and holding runners when he shouldn’t and sending them when he shouldn’t. The other day, Acuna (a fast runner even after knee surgeries) would have been thrown out almost half way down the 3rd base line if the catch makes a routine catch. Before yall defend him and say “he was safe wasn’t he?” the problem isn’t the safe or out in that situation, it’s the odds that he put the team in. If you’re getting one of our faster players thrown out by that much, that’s a clear sign you made a horrible (not bad, but horrible) read. Also, we have the guys that we are paying to be RBI producers up in the lineup, so why take the risk there? Riley was sent multiple times earlier in the season where Ozuna was next in the lineup and Riley would have been on 3rd. But what happened? MT sent him and he was gunned down each time. Verdugo go lasered at 3rd against Boston on a ball hit on the very shallow monster. What are we doing? Gonzalez very well may not be much better but we needed a change there and he has a ton of baseball and coaching experience, well respected as a whole. MT was costing up runs by not making appropriate reads
Frank Wren really hampered that rebuild. I appreciate finding Acuña/Albies from the leftovers of the scouting team he didn’t run off, but his top draft picks were abysmal and signings (Derek Lowe, Kenshin Kawakami, BJ Upton, etc.) and extensions (Uggla, Chris Johnson, etc.) were terrible. Best thing he did was not trade Freddie by extending him.
1,2 Freddie’s comin for you
@Fred Arcia has had one HR to the right of CF since 2023.
Arcia would run his average up a bit. He would close in on 280ish early on then sell out for fastballs looking for power. He would hit a few but his average would plummet. When it hit 220’s or ’30s he would go back to trying to get hits and raise his average back up. As the season wore on that fight for 280 turned into a battle for 250 and that was on a good year.
Oh, Great!
Sooo wonderful to see that the guy who brought us the human stuffed dumpling (Dan Uggla) is coming back to Atlanta.
He’s hopefully just keeping the seat warm for a Ron Washington return.
Why is Strider getting rocked out there? Also why is Snitker let him get rocked to where the game is out of hand. Snitker will be gone soon. He has just been lucky he has had lots of talent the whole time he has managed at the MLB level.
Braves going back to the Fredi Gonzalez well, huh?