Nov. 11: Mansolino will serve as the bench coach and work with the team’s infielders rather than his previously reported role of third base coach, according to David O’Brien of the Athletic. Instead, the Braves have hired Tommy Watkins to be the third base coach, per Dan Hayes of the Athletic. Watkins was a long-time Twins coach and was given permission to interview for the role with the Braves. O’Brien adds that Eddie Perez will be remaining as a major league coach for Atlanta. The club also officially announced Dustin Garneau as catching coach, Darnell Coles as assistant hitting coach, and Tony Diaz as a major league coach.
Nov. 7: The Braves on Friday announced the hiring of former Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino as their new third base coach. He’ll take over for Fredi Gonzalez, whose departure from the staff was reported earlier in the week. Atlanta also hired former Giants pitching coach J.P. Martinez — not to be confused with the former Braves outfielder of the same name — as their new bullpen coach.
The 43-year-old Mansolino took over for O’s skipper Brandon Hyde after Baltimore dismissed him back in mid-May. He’d been Hyde’s third base coach prior to that appointment — a role he’d held dating back to the 2021 season. Mansolino was previously a hitting coach and infield coordinator in Cleveland prior to being hired in Baltimore. A 26th-round pick by the Pirates back in 2005, he played professional from 2005-10 as an infielder Pittsburgh’s system and later on the independent circuit.
Mansolino guided the O’s to a 60-59 record, but that wasn’t enough to erase a disastrous start to the season. Baltimore finished last in the AL East with a 75-87 record. He was in the running for the Orioles’ full-time managerial gig moving forward, but that job went to Guardians associate manager and bench coach Craig Albernaz.
Martinez, also 43, was San Francisco’s pitching coach in 2025 and an assistant pitching coach with the Giants from 2021-24. He broke into the coaching ranks in the low levels of the Twins’ system back in 2015. He served as a pitching coach with Minnesota’s Rookie-level and High-A affiliates before being named the organization’s overall minor league pitching coordinator in 2018 — a role he held until being hired by the Giants in the 2020-21 offseason.
Surprised Martinez wasn’t retained by Giants. Will be interesting who Posey & Vitello as pitching coach
Agreed surprised by that one but it can happen with managerial changes.
I wonder if Brent Strom is available.
And Bullpen Coach is a demotion from Pitching coach. I’m shocked although he may have heard from Tony V. that he wants to bring in his own man. Scherzer?
Regardless of the 60-59 record he had since taking over the Orioles, Mansolino did an outstanding job, with players, in the dugout, and with the media. it took him about a week – under dire circumstances at that – for him to find his footing and he looked like a major league baseball manager thereafter. It would not be a surprise to see him become a full-time manager in the future.
100% this. Came into the job with injuries to some of the O’s best players, terrible and inconsistent offensive production from key players, and then we traded 2 of the best offensive players we had lol, and he was saddled with a very makeshift starting rotation due to injury or terrible performances. He did a more than admirable job for sure.
Saw some dugout interviews with Monsolino from afar and was very impressed. Commanding and spoke no B.S. Kind of like a benign drill sergeant, you could tell he wouldn’t let a clubhouse get away from him. Yeah, has a career ahead of him still.
I remember his first game as manager was a lopsided loss but he did a very good job.
Good thing coaches are irrelevant because that is a really bad group.
What makes it a bad group?
Never forget that the troll now known as Never Remember is blackpink/Joel/etc.
Never Remember/blackpink/Joel etc., has changed his screen name so many times because he’s been banned for viciously trolling so many on the site. Since he purchased the Trade Rumors Front Office membership he’s continued to troll but has escaped banning. He has toned down the incessant name calling—-a bit.
The mute and report buttons are like those marching in the streets against the very country they live in. If you dont agree with them you get your intelligence insulted with a comment,then muted and reported so you can’t respond. Or as Jeff puts it, incessant name calling lol. BleacherCreature is king of of his own echo chamber. Grow up and get a pair gents, it’s a kids game!
Everyone is waiting for the Bench Coach announcement…
waiting to see if Washington is healthy enough!!!!
I think Atlanta went younger coaches and a different direction; sometimes it is hard being back in older people when I think the team was trying to change the direction
thinking it might be someone more analytically minded to help Weiss with that part, kind of how the Dodgers have with Roberts/Lehmann. maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part
Not just on your part nidorito. Bench coach is an extremely important hire. Hope your wish comes true. The Braves would benefit from a forward thinking voice in Weiss’s ear.
After much thought and consultation with my family, I have decided to remove my name from consideration for the Atlanta Braves manager’s post.
@mlb fan But would ya think about the children? Please reconsider, our nation needs a miracle
I’ll admit that I wasn’t overly fond of the decision to hire Weiss. However I cannot knock the new additions made to the coaching staff since then. They have appeared to be not just fresh voices, but solid baseball people.
As Run mentioned above, now just to wait and see who is named bench coach.
As an O’s fan, I am happy to see Tony Mansilino land a job quickly! A good man!
As a Braves fan, I’m glad to see him so highly recommended by a fan of his former team. Great screen name, btw.
Good to see Mansolino gets the bench coach job. Felt like he was over qualified to be the 3B coach when they announced his hiring.
Usually new boss brings all his alumni buddies and “ yes men “. I see no connection with any of these guys with WW or even braves lineage. Interesting. Who’s pulling the strings here ?
Pretty excited to see new blood, maybe just maybe means the Bobby cox era has ended…
Dustin Garneau doesn’t exist. He is a bootleg video game character of Justin Morneau.
Was hoping for Wash but at least it’s not Fredi Gonzalez