With the Atlanta Braves struggling as much as they have in 2025, chatter around Brian Snitker’s future has been picking up. While no one with brain cells thinks that the Braves would dare fire Snitker, there is some merit to the idea that either Snitker may decide to retire after the season (the most likely of the departure scenarios) or that the Braves decide that Atlanta needs a new voice in the manager chair.
Given the uncertainty, everyone seems to be trying to read the tea leaves as to what Snitker will do and who will be managing Atlanta beyond the 2025 season. One such set of tea leaves just presented itself as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts just asked Snitker to join the National League coaching staff for the 2025 All-Star Game.
At first glance, this request may seem like Roberts is giving Snitker a going away present, but the actual explanation is far more benign.
Dave Roberts invited Marlins manager (and former Dodgers 1B coach) Clayton McCullough and Atlanta manager Brian Snitker to join the Dodgers’ coaching staff in representing the National League in the All-Star Game in Atlanta this year.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 17, 2025
Dave Roberts inviting Brian Snitker to coach in the All-Star Game is returning the favor
For starters, asking the coach of the team whose stadium is hosting the All-Star Game is not uncommon whatsoever. Atlanta is obviously hosting the 2025 All-Star Game, so Roberts deciding to give such a long-tenured manager like Snitker some love is pretty standard practice.
More than that, though, is that Roberts’ decision to invite Snitker could easily be him returning the same favor that Snitker extended to him just a few years ago. As the manager of the 2021 World Series winners, Snitker managed the 2022 All-Star Game and he invited Roberts and Dave Martinez to coach in the game as the previous World Series winning coaches from the National League. Both Martinez and Roberts made sure to show their appreciation to Snitker when he chose them and it is honestly heartwarming to see Roberts pay him back.
Whatever the reason may be, it will be great for Braves fans to get to see Snitker take the field and be in the dugout for the All-Star Game in Atlanta. During a season where causes for true celebration have been few and far between, fans are hungry for moments like this.
