In a remarkable display of leadership, Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers and Stephen Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians have been honored as the National League and American League Managers of the Year, respectively. Both managers stepped into their roles during the offseason, following in the footsteps of highly respected predecessors.
Murphy, 65, received the National League accolade after guiding the Brewers to a 93-69 record and an NL Central title in his debut season. This achievement marks him as the first manager in franchise history to win the award since its inception in 1983. Despite a playoff exit in the Wild Card Series against the New York Mets, Murphy’s impact was undeniable. His journey to the big leagues was unconventional; he previously served as a college coach at Notre Dame and Arizona State before joining the Padres’ minor league system and later becoming Milwaukee’s bench coach under Craig Counsell.
“I just didn’t want to let the Brewers down,” Murphy said, reflecting on his transition to the managerial role. He received 27 of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, outpacing San Diego’s Mike Shildt and New York’s Carlos Mendoza, who each received one vote.
Vogt, 40, made history as the first former major league player to win the Manager of the Year award just two years after retiring as a player. He led the Guardians to a 92-69 record and a division title in his inaugural season as a manager, succeeding three-time Manager of the Year winner Terry Francona. Vogt’s leadership propelled Cleveland to the AL Championship Series, where they were ultimately defeated by the New York Yankees in five games.
“I knew I had to come in and be myself,” Vogt stated, acknowledging the challenge of following in Francona’s footsteps. He also garnered 27 of 30 first-place votes, besting Kansas City’s Matt Quatraro and Detroit’s A.J. Hinch.
Both managers have demonstrated exceptional skill in their first seasons, with Murphy and Vogt setting a high standard for future leaders in Major League Baseball. Quatraro, in his second season with the Royals, led his team to an 86-76 record and a playoff appearance after a challenging previous year, while Hinch’s Tigers also made the postseason despite significant roster changes.
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