Will Ron Washington be hired as a manager this offseason?

For the most part, the Braves will have a very similar roster next year as they did this past season. They need to figure out their shortstop situation, and I expect them to add to their outfield as well as their bullpen, but could they also be looking for a new third base coach?

Bleacher Report seems to think so. As a part of their “Early Predictions for the 2022 MLB Offseason,” they have Ron Washington joining the White Sox as their next manager.

Tony La Russa announced on Oct. 3 that he will not be returning to the dugout in 2023. This was officially for health reasons, but the Hall of Famer’s ouster might have happened anyway following a 2022 season in which his managing too often attracted scrutiny amid a disappointing 81-81 performance.

Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada has already interviewed for the gig, but what really gets our attention is a report from ESPN’s Jesse Rogers that the White Sox have also reached out to Atlanta about third base coach Ron Washington.

Washington’s reputation as a great motivator precedes him, and he’d bring instant credibility as a guy who managed back-to-back AL pennant winners with the Texas Rangers in 2010 and 2011 and helped Atlanta win the World Series in 2021. As such, the White Sox should absolutely hire him.

Ron Washington is a national treasure. Every time he speaks, the entire room listens. He’s been an integral piece to what the Braves have accomplished over the last five seasons, and truthfully, I’m shocked another organization hasn’t poached him from Atlanta already to be their manager. He’s been a finalist for a couple of jobs but lost out in the end; however, there’s a good chance that changes this offseason.

The selfish person inside me would love to see Ron Washington retire in a Braves uniform. With that being said, there’s also a side of me that knows he has what it takes to lead his own championship contender to glory. With Snit at the helm, that’s never going to happen in Atlanta. Washington has made it known he would like to be a manager again, so for his sake, I would love to see him get another opportunity to lead a club, even if it comes at the expense of the Braves.

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