The Atlanta Braves offseason is going to be closely watched by fans. Will Alex Anthopoulos have another big trade up his sleeve going into 2024 (perhaps for Dylan Cease?) to give the team another young star? Could the Braves land the likes of Sonny Gray or Jordan Montgomery or a number of other big free agent pitchers? The possibilities are numerous.

But perhaps before any of that, the Braves are hoping that they can han onto third base coach Ron Washington, a beloved figure in the clubhouse and among fans.

Washington has emerged as one of the top potential managerial candadites to fill a number of vacancies, most notably the Houston Astros after Dusty Baker's retirement. However, there might be another AL West team looking for a new manager that could be looking to steal Washington from Atlanta: the Los Angeles Angels.

MLB Rumors: Angels emerge as threat to steal Ron Washington from Braves

Sam Blum reported on Tuesday night that the Angels interviewed Ron Washington at the GM Meetings in Scottsdale, AZ.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian is familiar with Washington from the Braves third base coach's long time in MLB. Minasian was a scout with the Rangers while Washington was the manager in Texas -- a club he led to the World Series twice -- and worked in the Atlanta front office when Washington was hired in 2017 by the Braves.

The Braves, particularly the players, have credited Washington many times for his work to improve the defense of infielders and being a galvanizing and beloved force within the team. Losing him would hurt. But at the same time, Atlanta has indicated they would support Washington moving on into a bigger role with another club, even if it would be a tough pill to swallow.

Washington leaving for the Angels, even with the interview, is far from a formality. It does appear that Washington might be a finalist for the job in Anaheim, but another big-name figure in Buck Showalter is also reported to be in the mix as well. Blum also noted furthering his initial report that it appears that Minasian wants to mimic what he saw the Rangers just do by hiring Bruce Bochy. Both Washington and Showalter would fit that bill.

For now, though, Braves fans will be watching this news with bated breath. But with the way things are shaping up, they should also start preparing to say goodbye to Ron Washington... just in case.