New Atlanta Braves bench coach Tony Mansolino caught the attention of several members of the media following his departure from the Baltimore Orioles, which included some pointed comments about leaving the organization.
Former Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski addressed the Mansolino interview, in which he said he was “rescued” by manager Walt Weiss after getting hired by Atlanta. “Maybe he’s a little mad he didn’t get the job after he took over,” Pierzynski said on the Foul Territory show. “When you say these things after you’re not hired as the manager … it just sounds like you’re a little salty.”
Mansolino moved from third base coach to the interim manager position in Baltimore after Brandon Hyde was fired in mid-May. He guided the team to a record above .500, but was passed over for the open managerial gig in the offseason. The Orioles chose Cleveland Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz to succeed Hyde on a permanent basis.
A.J. Pierzynski Has Strong Message For New Braves Bench Coach Tony Mansolino
GettyFormer Baltimore Orioles manager Tony Mansolino said the Atlanta Braves “rescued” him from his situation.
Weiss hired Mansolino for a coaching role in November. The former Colorado Rockies skipper is taking over in Atlanta after World Series-winning manager Brian Snitker stepped down. It was initially reported that Mansolino would be the third base coach, but further reporting clarified he would be a bench coach.
Pierzynski spent 19 seasons in the big leagues. The veteran catcher finished his illustrious career with a pair of years in Atlanta. He delivered a 111 wRC+ as a 38-year-old in 2015, handling a significant workload despite his advanced age. These days, Pierzynski hosts the Foul Territory show with fellow former catcher Erik Kratz and Scott Braun. The latter also shared his read of the situation.
“To me, this might have a slice of front office disconnect,” Braun said. “Again, I’m playing the conspiracy theory game, we’re a show, that’s what we do. I don’t think there were personality issues within the Orioles, I feel like we would’ve heard about that.”
Despite a roster stocked with young hitting talent, Baltimore finished dead last in the AL East. Hyde was relieved of his duties after the club stumbled to a 15-28 record out of the gate.
Braves Looking To Bounce Back After Snitker’s Departure
Weiss and Mansolino will be part of a coaching staff looking to bring Atlanta back to the playoffs after a disappointing 2025 campaign. The team finished in 4th place in the NL East with a 76-86 record. The Braves missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Snitker moved to a senior advisor role at the conclusion of the season.
Snitker has been in the organization for nearly 50 years. He began his playing career with the club in the late ’70s and has stayed with Atlanta throughout his storied coaching career. Snitker went 811-668 in his 10 years at the helm. He led the team to the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons. Snitker brought the organization its first championship in more than 25 years, defeating the Houston Astros to win the 2021 World Series.
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