The Atlanta Braves’ decision to part ways with longtime hitting coach Kevin Seitzer after a disappointing 2024 season is aging poorly—especially in light of the Seattle Mariners’ offensive explosion under his guidance.
After fielding one of the most potent lineups in MLB history in 2023, the Braves’ offense regressed dramatically in 2024. Outside of Marcell Ozuna, most of Atlanta’s key hitters either struggled or were sidelined by injuries. Despite these obvious challenges, the organization chose to scapegoat Seitzer, firing him at the season’s end.
Seitzer quickly found a new home in Seattle, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that Atlanta may have made a rash decision. The Mariners’ offense, previously middling, has become one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball. Meanwhile, the Braves have yet to fully rebound under new hitting coach Tim Hyers.
At the time of his dismissal, the move already seemed like an overreaction. Seitzer was the Braves’ longest-tenured coach and had been tasked with tough assignments like trying to get consistent production out of Orlando Arcia. After his firing, Seitzer admitted that his biggest challenge was keeping hitters from pressing too hard amid the team’s struggles.
Under Hyers, Atlanta’s offense has been average at best. The Braves currently carry a team slash line of .240/.315/.391 and a wRC+ of 98—right around league average. Players like Jarred Kelenic, Michael Harris II, and Arcia continue to struggle, each posting a wRC+ under 61. These numbers underscore the limits of what any hitting coach can fix when deeper issues are at play.
Meanwhile, in Seattle, Seitzer and former Braves assistant Bobby Magallanes have helped unlock the Mariners’ full potential. After finishing 21st in runs scored last year despite a mid-tier wRC+, Seattle has surged into the upper echelon of MLB offenses. The team now ranks third in wRC+ and sixth in total runs, already notching nine games with eight or more runs—compared to just two at the same point last season.
Key players have seen dramatic improvements. Jorge Polanco is hitting a scorching .387/.427/.800 with a 253 wRC+—a 161-point jump from last season. J.P. Crawford has climbed from 89 to 149 wRC+, and Mitch Garver has rebounded closer to his 2023 form with a 121 wRC+.
Thanks largely to their offensive renaissance, the Mariners are atop the AL West with a 19-12 record, leading the division by two games. The turnaround has been swift and striking.
While it’s hard to measure a coach’s exact impact, the early returns from Seattle suggest Seitzer’s influence is real—and that the Braves may have acted too hastily. Atlanta’s struggles in 2024 clearly had more to do with injuries and regression than with coaching. Firing Seitzer now looks more like a scapegoat move than a solution.
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