Braves hire Mansolino as third base coach

Former Orioles third base coach and interim manager Tony Mansolino didn’t need much time to find a new job.

The Braves have hired Mansolino as third base coach under new manager Walt Weiss. Weiss replaced Brian Snitker, who announced his retirement.

Mansolino was hired as the Orioles' third base coach and infield instructor prior to the 2021 season and replaced Brandon Hyde as manager on May 17. The Orioles finished in last place but went 60-59 with Mansolino in the dugout.

President of baseball operations/general manager Mike Elias referred to Mansolino as a “real candidate” for the full-time job during the season-ending press conference, but the Orioles hired former Guardians bench coach and associate manager Craig Albernaz. Mansolino wasn’t going to be retained in a coaching capacity, though many players endorsed his return toward the end of the season.

"Managing under the interim tag will be the hardest thing I’ll do in my career in a lot of ways," Mansolino said on Sept. 29. "In a sense, it is your team, especially after the trade deadline and all the guys that came in. It did start to feel like my team at that point. Up until the trade deadline with the players that were here under the previous leader, it didn’t in a lot of ways, and I think that’s fair. I think people can understand that. It’s a challenge.

"In terms of being a full-time manager, yeah, I think I can do it anywhere. I've got a lot of confidence in myself. In terms of being a full-time manager, I think I can do it anywhere. I think I can do it in a big market. I think I can do it in a small market, a rebuilding team, a win-now team."

Mansolino replaces former Orioles bench coach Fredi González, who was told last week that he wouldn’t be part of the new staff.

Joining the Braves allows Mansolino to work with his father, Doug, who serves as a field coordinator.

The Orioles play the Braves in Feb. 23 and 28 exhibition games in Sarasota and in a March 7 split-squad game in North Port. The Braves come to Baltimore on July 24-26, the Hawaiian shirt giveaway weekend.