Brian Snitker makes it sound like Dansby Swanson is already gone

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker is already preparing for the worst — that Dansby Swanson will follow Freddie Freeman out the door.

When free agency began, it seems a near certainty that Dansby Swanson would re-sign with the team which drafted him, the Atlanta Braves. In a sport where legacy and history reign supreme, Swanson has a chance to become one of the real baseball legends in Atlanta.

Unfortunately, it’s not clear if Swanson or the Braves feel the same way, or are on the same page in that department. Swanson has shopped his services around to the likes of the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, among others.

Brian Snitker ready if Dansby Swanson leaves the Braves

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker discussed the possibility of losing Swanson just one season after Freddie Freeman moved on to Los Angeles with the Dodgers. It’s a grim outlook, but one Snitker has come to terms with.

"“It’s tough,” Snitker said, per Dave O’Brien of The Athletic (subscription required). “We went through it a year ago (with Freeman), right now going through the same thing. And it’s tough. Because you do get attached to those guys. My God, we spend a lot of time together, they’re quality individuals. I love him to death. But it is, that’s part of the business. We all know that when we get in here, it is part of it. Time will tell which way we go. I’ll always root for that kid.”"

Snitker is always honest, if anything.

Freeman leaving the Braves definitely hurt them last year, and the franchise is still rebounding. Matt Olson is solid, but he is no Freeman, who was among the NL leaders in batting average in 2022.

Swanson would mark a similar loss. While Vaughn Grissom is a talented prospect, he’s only 21 years old. Dansby is coming off a career year, and his first All-Star appearance.

The Braves front office has saved plenty of money in recent years by signing superstars like Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuña to team-friendly deals. Surely they can afford to splurge a little, no?