Presenting MLB skippers with most Manager of the Year titles
Winning the MLB Manager of the Year Award is a career-defining achievement for most. Winning it multiple times is rare. Since its inception in 1983, only 16 managers have achieved this feat. With Stephen Vogt of the Guardians and Pat Murphy of the Brewers earning wins this year, every team has now claimed this award. Let's explore the legendary managers behind these rare accomplishments.
Buck Showalter and Bobby Cox (4 times)
Three iconic managers, Buck Showalter (AL 1994, 2004, 2014; NL 2022), Bobby Cox (AL 1985; NL 1991, 2004-05), and Tony La Russa, stand at the pinnacle of MLB with four MOTY Awards each. Showalter transformed four teams into contenders, a record unmatched, though he lacks a World Series title. Cox led the Braves to 14 straight division titles, winning three awards during that era.
Tony La Russa (4 times)
Tony La Russa, tied with Showalter and Cox for the most Manager of the Year Awards (four), boasts an unparalleled legacy. Managing across six decades, he claimed the award in three of them. La Russa also secured three World Series titles, one with the A's and two with the Cardinals, while managing more MLB games than all but one other skipper in history.
Terry Francona and Bob Melvin (3 times)
Francona (AL 2013, 2016, 2022), Melvin (AL 2012, 2018; NL 2007), and Maddon (AL 2008, 2011; NL 2015) are tied for second place with three MOTY Awards each. Francona earned all three with the Guardians, becoming the third manager to win the award thrice with the same team. Melvin has won three titles managing Seattle, Arizona, and Oakland, with the potential to add more.
Joe Maddon (3 times)
Maddon's innovative, analytical approach to managing was groundbreaking long before it became mainstream in the big leagues. Like Francona, he broke a long-standing curse, leading the Cubs to their first WS title in over a century (2016). This historic win came just a year after Maddon secured his third Manager of the Year Award, cementing his legacy as one of baseball's most forward-thinking managers.
