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Update: Mark Bowman of MLB.com has confirmed the initial report that the Braves have fired Fredi Gonzalez.
The Braves have fired manager Fredi Gonzalez. A replacement has not yet been revealed.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) May 17, 2016
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For weeks, there has been rampant speculation about the future of Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. On Tuesday morning (in the middle of a road series against the Pirates), word broke that the team has elected to part ways with Gonzalez, via a report from David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The #Braves have fired manager Fredi Gonzalez.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) May 17, 2016
This news does not come as a surprise given the team's paltry record of 9-28, but to this point, the Braves had stuck by Gonzalez through thick and thin. His tenure included multiple late-season collapses, in addition to playoff failure, but Gonzalez had been tasked with the job of managing through the rebuild and many have pointed to his .512 winning percentage (434-413) in Atlanta as something of a saving grace.
Now, it seems that his lengthy leash has evaporated.
Stay tuned throughout the day for all the latest on this breaking news, but for now, we can assume that the Braves will likely promote an internal managerial candidate in advance of Tuesday's game in Pittsburgh.