Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker was named as one of the finalists for the NL Manager of the Year Award. The Braves skipper led the team to a 104-win regular season with some of the best offensive performances by a lineup in recent history.
Snitker has been at the helm of the Braves since the 2016 season. He has led the team to six consecutive NL East titles with a 2021 World Series Championship to go along with it. In 2018, he was coveted with the NL Manager of the Year award along with Craig Counsell.
This year too Craig Counsell has been nominated in the final three after having led the Milwaukee Brewers to a third NL Central title under him and a 92-70 record. Along with Snitker and Counsell, Skip Schumacher of the Miami Marlins is the third manager nominated after he led his team to an epic postseason finish for the first time in three seasons.
Snitker was interviewed on the MLB Network after he was named as a finalist for the third time in his career. He spoke about the team's prowess and the players' ability to win games:
"I had always said when he won the whole thing [2021] that it takes the whole building. So I'm just a byproduct of having really good players" Snitker said.
Atlanta Braves: One of the strongest rosters in recent history
Snitker's Braves have been one of the strongest oppositions to face in the recent past. The batting lineup tied an MLB record of hitting most home runs with 307 in the regular season.
They scored the most runs in the league and took the best record. Despite a lack of pitching staff at the start, they made enough changes to carry them forward throughout the season. Unfortunately for them, they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS for the second straight season with a 100-win record.
Despite that, if Snitker wins the MOTY, he will join Bobby Cox as the only other Atlanta Braves manager to win the award twice. In the offseason, he had also extended his contract with the franchise for three years through to 2025.