The Atlanta Braves are heading into the 2026 season with a fresh look on the coaching staff and a clear goal: get back to October baseball. After missing the playoffs for the first time in seven years, the organization is banking on familiarity and experience to steer the ship back on course. That starts at the top, where longtime bench coach Walt Weiss has been promoted to manager following Brian Snitker’s decision to step down after the 2025 season.
Weiss, 61, isn’t new to the manager’s seat. He previously led the Colorado Rockies from 2013 to 2016, compiling a 283-365 record. While his tenure in Denver didn’t include a postseason appearance, he now takes over a Braves club with a much stronger foundation - a roster that, when healthy, has the talent to contend in a loaded National League.
The 2025 season was a rough ride for Atlanta. The team finished 76-86, a far cry from the consistency fans had come to expect during their recent playoff streak.
Injuries played a major role in derailing their campaign, particularly within the starting rotation. That’s an area the front office is making a priority this offseason.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos has made it clear: if the Braves are going to add to the rotation, the target needs to be someone with October-caliber stuff.
“We’ve explored the starting rotation, adding and getting some type of starter, whether that’s a trade or signing,” Anthopoulos said. “We’d like for it to be someone impactful, someone we think can start a playoff game.”
One name that fits that mold? Chris Bassitt.
At 37, Bassitt isn’t a long-term solution, but he’s exactly the kind of steady, battle-tested arm that could stabilize Atlanta’s rotation. He’s coming off a World Series title and has logged 30-plus starts in each of the past four seasons - a model of durability in a league where that’s increasingly rare.
While Bassitt didn’t start a postseason game for the Blue Jays last year, he finished the regular season strong, posting a 3.23 ERA over his final nine outings. Over the full season, he tossed 170 1/3 innings with a 3.96 ERA - numbers that would slot in nicely behind the likes of Spencer Strider and Chris Sale, assuming both are healthy. Add in Spencer Schwellenbach’s upside, and suddenly the Braves could have a rotation with both depth and playoff potential.
But Bassitt’s value goes beyond the box score. He’s a respected clubhouse presence, the kind of veteran voice that can be a steadying influence over a long season. For a Braves team looking to reclaim its identity and avoid another injury-riddled campaign, that kind of leadership could be just as important as his innings on the mound.
The NL East isn’t getting any easier, with multiple teams loading up for a run. But if Atlanta can shore up its rotation and stay healthier than last year, there’s every reason to believe this group can get back to where it belongs - in the thick of the playoff hunt.
The pieces are there. Now it’s about putting them together under a new manager and with, potentially, a new veteran anchor on the mound.