MLB Managers of the First Third of the Season
Who Wins Manager of the Year 1/3 of the way through the season?
Each year both the American League and the National League deem who the most valuable coach is with a Manager of the Year award. This season is like all the others with a plethora of great coaches in the league. However, I want to take a look at 3 deserving coaches from each league, from teams that are beating the expectations placed on them at the beginning of the season. Let’s get started with the American League.
Tigers - AJ Hinch
The race for American League Coach of the Year is kind of wide open. When I look at the American League my eyes go straight to the Central Division. Four of the Five teams have winning records, those four teams would be top two in any other AL division. I have to put the Head Coach of the Tigers, AJ Hinch, at the top of this list, though. The Tigers have the best record at home in the AL this year at 21-8 and are the second best only behind the 21-7 Mets. The Tigers also have a winning record in away games at 16-12. Tied for the second best away record in the AL only behind the Yankees. I’ll be the first to admit, I did not understand the move to make Javy Baez the everyday center fielder, but my goodness has it made a difference. He’s my pick for comeback player of the year by a long shot. Riley Green and Spencer Torkelson are taking huge strides forward, Kerry Carpenter is playing well, Gleyber Torres is having a career year, and the team as a whole are within the top 7 teams in every hitting statistical category besides batting average.
The pitching staff has been dynamite as well led by Tarik Skubal who is my favorite to win Cy Young in the AL this year. Their team ERA is a 3.22, the team’s WHIP is only 1.16 trailing only the Yankees for best in the MLB, and they’re holding batters to a .225 average, for the third best in MLB. All of these stats being equal to, or better, than last season. A team that was good last year, is somehow getting better in MLB’s most competitive division.
Rays - Kevin Cash
Second in line is Kevin Cash, Head Coach of the Rays. Look, I get it, the Rays are a pitiful franchise, just ahead of the Athletics and the Rockies, but the lack of strength in the organization isn’t affecting the team play. The Rays are pretty much middle of the pack in every offensive category. If they aren’t middle of the pack, they’re slightly worse than average. Jonathan Aranda is having an All-Star year at first base, Junior Caminero and Brandon Lowe are hitting for power, and they are waiting for Yandy Diaz to start breaking out.
If you’re saying, “Surely with a middle of the pack offense, their pitching staff has to be good, right?” You’d be correct! The pitching staff is a top 7 staff in WHIP and second best in walks allowed. The problem for the pitching staff is the long ball. They’ve allowed 75 home runs this year, 4th most across the MLB. Drew Rasmussen is having an incredible season with a 4-4 record but a 2.33 ERA, sub .200 batting average against, and sub-1 WHIP. Those are in the realm of Cy Young numbers.
Most analysts had the Rays doing worse than they did last year. I think as the year progresses we may see the team slow down in the wins category but as of right now, Cash is finding ways to win. Which is what managers need to do. He’s doing it.
Mariners - Dan Wilson
The Mariners are another team like the Rays that are middle of the pack but find ways to win.Their pitching staff is average or below average in everything but walking batters. They’re actually giving up the ninth least walks in the MLB. Luis Castillo and Bryan Woo are balling out this year. Woo is another candidate of mine for AL Cy Young. Bryce Miller is regressing, Logan Gilbert has only made 6 starts (granted he’s been good in those 6 starts, 2.37 ERA and a 44/6 K/BB ratio), and George Kirby should be back to form soon. Andres Munoz is also the best reliever in the league this year and it isn’t even close.
The Mariners offense is led by Cal Raleigh who’s having what should be an All-Star season, and a decent season by JP Crawford. Their offense is average in most categories but they walk, and they walk a lot. This is a team that appreciates a free base. That’s a testament to the coaching staff. Their offense Mariners were a team that I was iffy on coming into the season, and assuming the pitching staff can stay this hot, and hopefully a few hitters catch on as the season progresses, Head Coach Dan Wilson could make a run for Coach of the Year.
The National League is competitive this year. The NL West is a tight race, the Nationals are in contention, and the Central has shown to be a strong division as well with three teams over .500.
Cardinals - Oliver Marmol
My dad recently asked me how the Cardinals are so much better this year and I responded with, “I’m not quite sure,” because after an offseason where they lost Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Carpenter, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson, along with rumors that Nolan Arenado would be traded, I thought this team would be nowhere near the top of the NL Central. Well, I was wrong. The Cardinals are led by a strong hitting team, a top 5 team in batting average, strikeouts, top 7 in OBP, and an all-star season being put together by Brendan Donovan.
On the pitching side of things, the Cardinals don’t give up many longballs. Their team ERA, WHIP, and OBP are middle of the pack, not much better or worse that the average teams, but the Cardinals have had a tough schedule to start the year. The starters Matthew Liberatore, Sonny Gray, and Erick Fedde haven’t been bad. All three have an ERA under 4, WHIP under 1.3, and have been a strong 3headed rotation. Once some easier teams hit the schedule for the Cardinals, Head Coach Oliver Marmol could have a strong case for a Manager of the Year award.
Cubs - Craig Counsell
The Cubs came into the MLB season with the toughest strength of schedule across the first 50 games. The Cardinals were close behind and the Cubs found a way to win and be at the top of the division. This is also without pitchers Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga, both out with injuries, (Steele out of the season, Imanaga coming back soon) and a bullpen that has been lacking good results. The Cubs have winning records both at home and away this season which is a testament to the coaching staff getting the team ready to play. Also remember that two of those losses came in Japan against the Dodgers.
This team is currently a top 5 team in every major hitting category, mostly top 3 as well. Their pitching has been middle of the pack but with a bad bullpen and two injuries to starters, this won’t last for the whole season. The Cubs have produced a lot of bullpen talent at the deadline, this year they need to go out and get starting pitching and bullpen help. If the Cubs keep winning at the pace they are and finish with a top two record in MLB, Counsell could see a manager of the year title.
Nationals - Dave Martinez
Yeah, yeah, yeah I know. They’re not a playoff team. My response is, “Yet.” The Nationals have an electric team. The youth have arrived and they are taking over. The praise that James Wood has gotten is well deserved. CJ Abrams is having a good year. Mackenzie Gore is a dark horse for a Cy Young this season. They’re a game behind the Braves for third in a division that has the Phillies and Mets in front. Not an easy division to play in.
The craziest thing is… their team isn’t even really that great. They’re middle to low end of the pack in hitting categories, their pitching staff is towards the bottom of the rankings in the major categories, yet they’re finding ways to win. Dave Martinez has put his team in playoff contention with some help from his young guys. I knew this team would be good, but I didn’t think it would be this season. The team and the coaching staff are proving analysts wrong with what they’re producing and that’s the reason I have them here. They’re in playoff contention. Should the Nationals make the postseason, I don’t see why Dave Martinez isn’t a finalist for Manager of the Year.
There’s still two-thirds of the season left, so a lot can happen, but I’m sure of one thing… the management of these teams are going to make an extreme difference. Who would you pick to be Manager of the Year in the American League and National League?
Note: Stats were referenced from MLB.com on 5/28/2025 11:59pmCST*