Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award

In Major League Baseball, the Manager of the Year Award is an honor given annually since 1983 to two outstanding managers, one each in the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner is voted on by 30 members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). Each submits a vote for first, second, and third place among the managers of each league.[a] The manager with the highest score in each league wins the award.[1]

Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award
Lou Piniella won the 2008 National League Manager of the Year Award, and won twice in the American League.
SportBaseball
LeagueMajor League Baseball
Awarded forBest manager of American League and National League
CountryUnited States, Canada
Presented byBaseball Writers' Association of America
History
First award1983
Most recent

Several managers have won the award in a season in which they led their team to 100 or more wins. They are:

In 1991, Bobby Cox became the first manager to win the award in both leagues, winning with the Atlanta Braves and having previously won with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985.[13] La Russa, Piniella, Showalter, Jim Leyland, Bob Melvin, Davey Johnson, and Joe Maddon have since won the award in both leagues.[2][6][14] Cox, La Russa, and Showalter have won the most awards, with four.[6][13] Baker, Leyland, Piniella, Maddon, Melvin,[15] and Terry Francona have won three times.[2][7][14] In 2005, Cox became the first manager to win the award in consecutive years.[13] Cash became the second manager in 2021, and first in the AL, to win the award in consecutive years.[16] Brandon Hyde and Skip Schumaker are the most recent winners.

Because of the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike cut the season short and canceled the post-season, the BBWAA writers effectively created a de facto mythical national championship (similar to college football) by naming managers of the unofficial league champions (lead the leagues in winning percentage) (Buck Showalter and Felipe Alou) as Managers of the Year.[17][18] The Chicago White Sox have seen five managers win the award, most in the majors, while one franchise, the Milwaukee Brewers, has not had a manager win the award.

Only five managers have won the award while leading a team that finished outside the top two spots in its division. Buck Rodgers was the first, winning the award in 1987 with the third-place Expos.[19] Tony Peña and Showalter won the award with third-place teams in back-to-back years: Peña with the Royals in 2003, and Showalter with the Rangers in 2004.[20][21] Joe Girardi is the only manager to win the award with a fourth-place team (2006 Florida Marlins);[22] he is also the only manager to win the award after fielding a team with a losing record.

Key

Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame
^
Indicates multiple award winners in the same year
(#)Number of wins by managers who have won the award multiple times
YearEach year links to that particular Major League Baseball season
BoldThe manager's team won the World Series in the same season

Winners

American League

Brandon Hyde, 2023 AL winner
YearManagerTeamDivisionFinishRecord
Tony La Russa Chicago White SoxWest1st
99–63
Sparky Anderson Detroit TigersEast1st
104–58
Bobby Cox Toronto Blue JaysEast1st
99–62
John McNamaraBoston Red SoxEast1st
95–66
Sparky Anderson (2)Detroit TigersEast1st
98–64
Tony La Russa (2)Oakland AthleticsWest1st
104–58
Frank RobinsonBaltimore OriolesEast2nd
87–75
Jeff TorborgChicago White SoxWest2nd
94–68
Tom KellyMinnesota TwinsWest1st
95–67
Tony La Russa (3)Oakland AthleticsWest1st
96–66
Gene LamontChicago White SoxWest1st
94–68
Buck ShowalterNew York YankeesEast1st
70–43
Lou PiniellaSeattle MarinersWest1st
79–66
1996^[c]Johnny OatesTexas RangersWest1st
90–72
1996^[c]Joe TorreNew York YankeesEast1st
92–70
Davey JohnsonBaltimore OriolesEast1st
98–64
Joe Torre (2)New York YankeesEast1st
114–48
Jimy WilliamsBoston Red SoxEast2nd
94–68
Jerry ManuelChicago White SoxCentral1st
95–67
Lou Piniella (2)Seattle MarinersWest1st
116–46
Mike SciosciaAnaheim AngelsWest2nd
99–63
Tony PeñaKansas City RoyalsCentral3rd
83–79
Buck Showalter (2)Texas RangersWest3rd
89–73
Ozzie GuillénChicago White SoxCentral1st
99–63
Jim Leyland (3)Detroit TigersCentral2nd
95–67
Eric WedgeCleveland IndiansCentral1st
96–66
Joe MaddonTampa Bay RaysEast1st
97–65
Mike Scioscia (2)Los Angeles AngelsWest1st
97–65
Ron GardenhireMinnesota TwinsCentral1st
94–68
Joe Maddon (2)Tampa Bay RaysEast2nd
91–71
Bob Melvin (2)Oakland AthleticsWest1st
94–68
Terry FranconaCleveland IndiansCentral2nd
92–70
Buck Showalter (3)Baltimore OriolesEast1st
96–66
Jeff BanisterTexas RangersWest1st
88–74
Terry Francona (2)Cleveland IndiansCentral1st
94–67
Paul MolitorMinnesota TwinsCentral2nd
85–77
Bob Melvin (3)Oakland AthleticsWest2nd
97–65
Rocco BaldelliMinnesota TwinsCentral1st
101–61
Kevin CashTampa Bay RaysEast1st
40–20
Kevin Cash (2)Tampa Bay RaysEast1st
100–62
Terry Francona (3)Cleveland GuardiansCentral1st
92–70
Brandon HydeBaltimore OriolesEast1st
101–61

National League

Skip Schumaker, 2023 NL winner
YearManagerTeamDivisionFinishRecord
Tommy Lasorda Los Angeles DodgersWest1st
91–71
Jim FreyChicago CubsEast1st
96–65
Whitey HerzogSt. Louis CardinalsEast1st
101–61
Hal LanierHouston AstrosWest1st
96–66
Buck RodgersMontreal ExposEast3rd
91–71
Tommy Lasorda (2)Los Angeles DodgersWest1st
94–67
Don ZimmerChicago CubsEast1st
93–69
Jim LeylandPittsburgh PiratesEast1st
95–67
Bobby Cox (2)Atlanta BravesWest1st
94–68
Jim Leyland (2)Pittsburgh PiratesEast1st
96–66
Dusty BakerSan Francisco GiantsWest2nd
103–59
Felipe AlouMontreal ExposEast1st
74–40
Don BaylorColorado RockiesWest2nd
77–67
Bruce BochySan Diego PadresWest1st
91–71
Dusty Baker (2)San Francisco GiantsWest1st
90–72
Larry DierkerHouston AstrosCentral1st
102–60
Jack McKeonCincinnati RedsCentral2nd
96–67
Dusty Baker (3)San Francisco GiantsWest1st
97–65
Larry BowaPhiladelphia PhilliesEast2nd
86–76
Tony La Russa (4)St. Louis CardinalsCentral1st
97–65
Jack McKeon (2)Florida MarlinsEast2nd
75–49
Bobby Cox (3)Atlanta BravesEast1st
96–66
Bobby Cox (4)Atlanta BravesEast1st
90–72
Joe GirardiFlorida MarlinsEast4th
78–84
Bob MelvinArizona DiamondbacksWest1st
90–72
Lou Piniella (3)Chicago CubsCentral1st
97–64
Jim TracyColorado RockiesWest2nd
92–70
Bud BlackSan Diego PadresWest2nd
90–72
Kirk GibsonArizona DiamondbacksWest1st
94–68
Davey Johnson (2)Washington NationalsEast1st
98–64
Clint HurdlePittsburgh PiratesCentral2nd
94–68
Matt WilliamsWashington NationalsEast1st
96–66
Joe Maddon (3)Chicago CubsCentral3rd
97–65
Dave RobertsLos Angeles DodgersWest1st
91–71
Torey LovulloArizona DiamondbacksWest2nd
93–69
Brian SnitkerAtlanta BravesEast1st
90–72
Mike ShildtSt. Louis CardinalsCentral1st
91–71
Don MattinglyMiami MarlinsEast2nd
31–29
Gabe KaplerSan Francisco GiantsWest1st
107–55
Buck Showalter (4)New York MetsEast2nd
101–61
Skip SchumakerMiami MarlinsEast3rd
84–78

See also

Notes

  • a The formula used to calculate the final scores is Score = 5F + 3S + T, where F is the number of first-place votes, S is second -place votes, and T is third-place votes.[23][24]
  • b The 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike ended the season on August 11, as well as cancelling the entire postseason, with writers effectively turning the vote into a de facto mythical national championship, similar to college football.[25]
  • c Johnny Oates and Joe Torre tied for the lead among voters in the American League in 1996.[26]
  • d Teams played a truncated 60-game season in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

General
  • "Manager of the Year Award Winners". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
  • "MLB Awards (Manager of the Year Award Winners)". Major League Baseball. Retrieved May 25, 2009.
Inline citations