Braves surprising top candidate is a 2-time World Series champion with strong Alex Anthopoulos ties originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Atlanta Braves had one of the most disappointing seasons in all of Major League Baseball last year. Longtime manager Brian Snitker had never experienced a season quite that bad during his tenure. Given that, many believed Snitker wouldn’t return.

“Because of that consistent recent success, Snit would normally be afforded a ‘mulligan’ year—even though going from the second-best preseason World Series odds to possibly the third-best odds of winning the draft lottery is a pretty serious mulligan,” Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wrote. “At 69, though, he’s already the oldest manager in the National League by a several-year margin and was likely to retire at the end of this season, which is the last one in his current contract.”

Snitker refused to address his future during the regular season, but just days after the Braves’ campaign came to an end, he made his decision public.

“Brian Snitker will not return as manager of the Atlanta Braves, sources tell ESPN. He informed the team of his decision yesterday. But he will remain with the organization in a senior advisory capacity,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan posted.

In the aftermath, an unexpected top candidate has emerged: Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann. Initially not seen as a frontrunner, Lehmann is now quickly rising up the list.

“As for Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann, his candidacy has seemingly strengthened over the past couple weeks. Lehmann was Los Angeles’ advance video scout when Anthopoulos was with the Dodgers from 2016-17. The two have remained in contact over the years that have followed,” Braves insider Mark Bowman wrote. “With the Dodgers set to begin their World Series battle against the Blue Jays on Friday, Lehmann’s candidacy could lead to the Braves waiting into November before announcing their next manager.”

While Lehmann is gaining traction, much of the buzz around his candidacy likely stems from his connection with Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos. If hired, it would certainly be an unconventional move.

With such a veteran-laden roster, the Braves may end up relying heavily on internal leadership as they bring in a rookie manager. This will be a situation worth closely monitoring.