Dodgers Could Lose Coach to NL Rival as Next Manager: Report

Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach and acting manager for the game Danny Lehmann (left) and Bob Geren (center) watch the game from the dugout in the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 6, 2023. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

While three teams — the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and Texas Rangers — have already filled their managerial vacancies this month, other teams have been slower to move.

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The San Diego Padres have at least begun lining up interviews with the candidates to replace Mike Shildt, including former Dodger Albert Pujols. Names on the Minnesota Twins' shortlist have begun to leak, including former Dodger Nick Punto.

The Atlanta Braves, meanwhile, have been quiet ever since Brian Snitker managed his final game and took an advisory position. One plausible explanation is that their preferred candidate is employed by a team still active in the postseason.

Only two teams fall in that category, and one Dodgers coach has now been linked to the Braves' job. Both Mark Bowman of MLB.com and David O'Brien of The Athletic thought enough of Lehmann's candidacy to mention it Wednesday.

Lehmann has spent 10 seasons in the Dodgers' front office, following a different sort of path to managerial candidacy by first serving as a video scout, then a game planning/communications coach. Also a year as a special assistant. He's been Dave Roberts' bench coach since 2023.

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) October 22, 2025

Writes Bowman: "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 (Braves executive Alex) Anthopoulos was with the Dodgers from 2016-17. The two have remained in contact over the years that have followed."

O'Brien also notes that Anthopoulos is already familiar with Lehmann, who joined the Dodgers as an advanced video scout in 2015 and worked his way up to bench coach from within.

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“How managers are picked today is very different than 10, 15, 20 years ago,” Lehmann told the Southern California News Group in a 2023 interview. “There was a progression in the past, where it was kind of like you managed whatever league in the minors, and you progress, or became a base coach. It’s just very different. I think now it’s a little bit more specific in how you want to run your team, and I think that makes a lot of sense."

Lehmann won his only game as a fill-in, in May 2023 in San Diego, while Roberts attended his son's college graduation.

After retiring as a player in 2014, Lehmann enrolled at Rice University, then put his degree on hold. He's worked under a variety of titles in the Dodgers' organization since then, often feeding information to manager Dave Roberts and impressing with his bandwidth.

It's possible the Braves have other managerial candidates in mind — perhaps some on the Dodgers' or Blue Jays' staff. Bowman mentioned Chicago Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty and Detroit Tigers bench coach George Lombard (another former Dodgers coach) as "potential canidates."

But it would make sense for Lehmann to at least interview for a manager's job at some point, given his stated interest in the position, his rapid rise through the organization, and the Dodgers' success in the Lehmann era. That time could be now.

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