MLB Manager of the Year: First-year skippers take home the hardware
Major League Baseball announced its Manager of the Year winners Tuesday, with Stephen Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians and Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers taking home the awards, as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Vogt received 27 of 30 first-place votes, beating out American League finalists – and AL Central rivals – Matt Quatraro and A.J. Hinch. The first-year manager led Cleveland to a division title and a run to the American League Championship Series.
Murphy also won 27 of 30 first-place votes, finishing ahead of finalists Mike Shildt (San Diego Padres) and Carlos Mendoza (New York Mets). In his first year as a full-time skipper, Murphy led an injury-ravaged Milwaukee team to the NL Central title.
Here’s what to know about the 2024 Manager of the Year award winners:
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Manager of the Year voting results 2024
(voting on 5-3-1 basis)
American League
- Stephen Vogt, Guardians (27 first-place votes): 142
- Matt Quatraro, Royals (3 first-place votes): 73
- A.J. Hinch, Tigers: 41
- Joe Espada, Astros: 6
- Aaron Boone, Yankees: 3
- Mark Kotsay, Athletics: 3
- Rocco Baldelli, Twins: 1
- Alex Cora, Red Sox: 1
National League
- Pat Murphy, Brewers (27 first-place votes): 144
- Mike Shildt, Padres (1 first-place vote): 70
- Carlos Mendoza, Mets (1 first-place vote): 35
- Torey Lovullo, Diamondbacks: 8
- Rob Thomson, Phillies (1 first-place vote): 5
- Brian Snitker, Braves: 4
- Dave Roberts, Dodgers: 3
- Oliver Marmol, Cardinals: 1
AL Manager of the Year: Stephen Vogt, Guardians
Just two years removed from his playing career, Vogt led the Guardians to a 92-69 record and the AL Central title in 2024, ultimately falling to the New York Yankees in the ALCS.
Vogt was hired by the Guardians after Terry Francona stepped down following a disappointing 2023 season, the team’s 76-86 record the worst for the franchise since 2010.
A two-time All-Star catcher (2015 and 2016), Vogt retired after the 2022 season and was the Seattle Mariners’ bullpen coach for less than a year before taking the big job in Cleveland.
‘There’s more left on the table for this group,’ Vogt told his players after the Guardians’ final game of the season. ‘We know we can accomplish more, but be proud of what we accomplished overall and use this to fuel your offseason.’
Vogt is the second Cleveland skipper in three years to win the award, after Francona was named Manager of the Year in 2022. That was Francona’s third honor, previously winning it with Cleveland in 2013 and 2016. Eric Wedge (2007) was the first manager in franchise history to earn the hardware.
“This is fun. That’s one thing I tell these guys all the time: Don’t ever lose sight that we’re still playing a game. And for four hours a day, you get to go be a 12-year-old kid,” Vogt told USA TODAY Sports in June. “There’s a business side, there’s family and all these other things. That’s real, and that’s important, too.
“But for three, four hours a night, you get to go be a 12-year-old kid and suit up and play the game you love.”
NL Manager of the Year: Pat Murphy, Brewers
A full-time MLB skipper for the first time at age 65, Murphy led the Brewers to a runaway 2024 NL Central title after the offseason departure of longtime manager Craig Counsell, who bolted for the rival Chicago Cubs.
Murphy is the first manager in franchise history to win the award.
‘I love this team. I love them,’ Murphy told reporters in October. ‘I’ll never be able to duplicate 2024.’
Despite trading away ace Corbin Burnes before the season, the Brewers went 93-69, finishing 10 games ahead of the second-place Cubs. Milwaukee suffered another early postseason exit, losing to the Mets in the NL wild-card series.
‘Once we traded Corbin, look at the prognosticators, look what they said,’ Murphy said after the Brewers were eliminated. ‘They predicted a fourth and fifth place, and these guys rose to the occasion and basically went wire to wire, went late April to September in first place.’
Murphy had been Counsell’s bench coach since Milwaukee hired him in 2015 and spent 22 years as a college head coach with Notre Dame and Arizona State before earning the Brewers job for the 2024 season.
‘The Brewers organization has been to the postseason six out of seven years with not the biggest budget and quite frankly in a real small market,’ Murphy said. ‘I think that’s something to hang your hat on.’
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