Braves manager Walt Weiss finishes runner-up in NL Manager of the Year voting

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss took over a mediocre 76-86 team from the retiring Brian Snitker after it missed the postseason for the first time in seven seasons. And in his first year at the helm, Weiss brought home a National League East title.

He also earned a nomination for NL Manager of the Year, but he finished second to Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy, who led the Brewers to their first World Series title and won the award for the third straight year.

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly, who took over after Rob Thomson was fired in April, was also a finalist but finished third in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

It was an abnormal year for the Braves, who held onto their lead in the NL East despite several injuries and the loss of one of their primary outfield options, Jurickson Profar, who served a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second straight season.

The Braves lost Ronald Acuña Jr. to a hamstring injury and right-handed reliever Robert Suarez to an elbow injury for months on end. But Weiss kept the team afloat as it navigated its way to a Wild Card Series win over the Phillies and a National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with just two rotation arms in Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle.

It’s unclear what baseball will look like in 2027 amid the possibility of a lockout, but Weiss’ first year as Braves manager, after several seasons as Snitker’s bench coach, could be a sign of a bright future.