The 2024 MLB Season is here. Some managerial shake-ups have occurred in the off-season, with some veteran MLB managers retiring and heading to new teams. Fresh faces and first-time managers are stepping up and joining others as well. Management has changed in the last decade, with front offices taking more and more control of the day-to-day decision-making, but some old school MLB managers still are out there with a strong hand guiding their squads.
Let’s take a look at all 30 MLB Managers for the 2024 season ranked from WORST to FIRST.
30. Stephen Vogt, Cleveland Guardians
Vogt was still playing just two short years ago. He has very little experience coaching, just spending time in the Mariners bullpen as a coach last season. He’s filling massive shoes with Terry Francona’s retirement in Cleveland. With Francona being one of the most player-friendly MLB managers ever, it makes sense the Guardians went with a recent player, but is he too green? Time will tell for Vogt.
29. Mark Kotsay, Oakland Athletics
Kotsay has had an extremely inauspicious start to his managerial career. The A’s have had two 100-loss seasons in his time. It’s not looking any better for the A’s now, they should be the worst team in the MLB yet again. Yes, the team is rebuilding, but three consecutive triple-digit loss seasons is about as bad as it gets for a new MLB manager.
28. Pedro Grifol, Chicago White Sox
Grifol oversaw a legendary swan dive from the White Sox in 2023. After a .500 season between LaRussa and Miguel Cairo in 2022, Grifol tanked the team down to 61-101 in his first season. With many players underperforming to career stats and a decent roster laying an all-time egg, it’s hard not to lay some of the blame on Grifol. We’ll see what happens to the ChiSox this season, but after trading their ace and losing their closer, it’s not a great prognosis.
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27. Carlos Mendoza, New York Mets
The Mets let Buck Showalter go after a bad 2023. The organization is focused on having the front office control more lineup and roster decisions, which created friction with the old-school Showalter. Enter the yes man, Carlos Mendoza. Mendoza was the bench coach for the crosstown Yankees since 2019 and has a long history of coaching at the MLB level, so we’ll see what he can do.
26. Joe Espada, Houston Astros
Espada has some serious coaching experience as he was a third and first base coach for the Yankees for several years, and the Houston bench coach from 2018 until his promotion. He has huge shoes to fill with Dusty Baker retiring, but with his long-term experience with the team, he should have some continuity here. The loaded roster should make it a bit easier for him too.
25. Matt Quatraro, Kansas City Royals
Quatraro has a brutal start to his managerial career, but he was a disciple of Kevin Cash for years in Tampa Bay. His analytical style has the potential to bring some of that scrappy performance from the Gulf up to Kansas City. We’ll see if he can make it happen in 2024.
24. Pat Murphy, Milwaukee Brewers
Murphy was a legendary college coach at Notre Dame and Arizona State. He was the Padres interim manager back in 2015 and predictably didn’t do too well, but he’s been the bench coach of the Brewers since then. He’ll take over for Counsell and has a lot more in-game management experience than the other first-time full-fledged MLB managers on this list.
23. Bud Black, Colorado Rockies
Black has had a decent career as a manager with over 1,000 wins, but the Colorado Rockies have been dreadful in the last few years of his tenure. He did get two playoff appearances in his first two years but has not produced better than a 4th place finish the past 5 years. The team is rebuilding, but at this point, we’re not sure what value Black is bringing if there is no improvement in sight.
22. Derek Shelton, Pittsburgh Pirates
Shelton is another manager who has not had much success. However, the Pirates took a huge jump in quality last year. They still finished with a losing record, but it does seem like things are looking up in the Steel City. Hopefully, Shelton can lead them to further success this season.
21. Oli Marmol, St. Louis Cardinals
Marmol has had two seasons as the Cardinals manager. He’s been a bit of Jekyll and Hyde. First season the Cards won the NL Central, but last year they had the worst season for the franchise in about three decades. Marmol is not liked by the picky fanbase. It doesn’t help that he replaced a manager that had nothing but success. However, Marmol signed a two-year extension, so he’ll be there for a little bit longer.
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20. Skip Schumaker, Miami Marlins
The Marlins made the playoffs last year with a fairly weak roster. Schumaker was able to continue the trend Mattingly started of overachievement. However, we need to see if that first season was a fluke (or perhaps some other kind of fish). Jury is still out on Skip.
19. Ron Washington, Los Angeles Angels
Washington is a longtime veteran manager with multiple AL Pennants in his pocket. Unfortunately, he’s been set up for failure in Anaheim. The Angels have a pathetic roster beyond Trout. Washington will hopefully be able to mold some of the young talent into good MLB players, as the Angels have struggled to covert almost every prospect they’ve had in the last decade.
18. John Schneider, Toronto Blue Jays
Schneider has been able to achieve regular season success with two trips to the playoffs. However, they’ve been swept out both times. With Mattingly now assisting him, Schneider will hopefully have the backup he needs to take the next step. We just can’t put him higher until he wins a playoff game.
17. Mike Shildt, San Diego Padres
Shildt takes over for Bob Melvin in San Diego, who jumped ship to the Giants. Shildt experienced a bunch of success in St. Louis, winning 90 games two times and making the playoffs in all three seasons. He even won the 2019 NL Manager of the Year award. The Padres were lucky to be able to slot him right in from the bench when Melvin left.
16. Dave Martinez, Washington Nationals
The Nats are fully rebuilding, and while Martinez is a good manager with a World Series Ring, he can’t work miracles. He has not really been able to bring success since the veritable superteam called the 2019 Nats broke up. We have him in the middle of the pack here in his current situation.
15. Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota Twins
Baldelli has had some nice success as Twins manager. He’s got three AL Central titles in his first five seasons. However he hasn’t really been able to make any deep playoff runs, and this season he’ll have a much depleted roster compared to previous years, we’ll see how he can do from there.
14. Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners
Servais has made the M’s a legitimate team again. He’s had two 90-win seasons and a playoff berth. Last season he failed to take them back to the playoffs, however, and lost a must-win game. This year will be a big test for how far he can take the Mariners with the current roster.
13. David Bell, Cincinnati Reds
Bell has done more with less than pretty much anyone on this list. He took a 100-loss team over .500 in the next season. With some young talent, the Reds have spent a little money this year to give Bell a chance to take them to the promised lands. We’ll see if he can get it done.
12. Aaron Boone, New York Yankees
Boone was handed an extremely talented roster and a front office willing to spend and trade to get him to the next level. While Boone hasn’t fallen completely flat on his face, he does have a losing playoff record and only one ALCS appearance without a pennant to show for it. At an organization like the Yankees, this just doesn’t cut the mustard. Boone is a good manager, but if he can’t bring more success soon, he’ll be on the hot seat.
11. Brandon Hyde, Baltimore Orioles
Hyde has launched the O’s into the stratosphere, pushing a team that lost 110 games in 2021 to win 101 games in 2023. He’s made the young talent feel right at home in the bigs and set up one of the best teams for the future in the MLB. However, we can’t put him much higher until he has some playoff success.
10. Torey Luvello, Arizona Diamondbacks
Luvello has taken a lightweight roster and punched way above his weight class. The D-Backs took a trip all the way to the World Series on the back of NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll. Luvello was a huge part of that success, holding the team steady after some poor previous seasons. While we hope he’s not a one-hit-wonder, the D-Backs are in a similar position to compete this year after some strong off-season moves.
9. Craig Counsell, Chicago Cubs
Counsell is a lauded manager, winning over 700 games in his time with Milwaukee, however, we cannot rate him higher until he has some serious playoff success. His teams have only won a single playoff series and he has only won a single playoff game since 2018. We’ll see how he can do with a bit of an upgrade in terms of team and franchise in Chicago.
8. AJ Hinch, Detroit Tigers
Hinch has a black mark on his record with the Astros cheating scandal, but regardless, it’s hard to deny that he built that Astros team into a juggernaut. The Astros did not fall off after they stopped cheating either, another plus for Hinch, even if he was forced out. Hinch has not been able to lead Detroit to serious competition yet, but had the team playing over .500 in the second half last season. He really can’t be blamed for Javy Baez turning into Kaz Matsui either. If he brings the Tigers back over .500 this season, we’ll be proven right.
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7. Bob Melvin, San Francisco Giants
Like Counsell, Melvin has not had playoff success. However, he does have three AL Manager of the Year awards. Melvin is now in his childhood home in San Francisco, and the team has spent and traded to give him the best chance possible. While he’s stirred up some potential controversy vis a vis his National Anthem rules, this is his best chance for a title in a long time.
6. Alex Cora, Boston Red Sox
Cora has a ring and the success of one of the great MLB managers however the Red Sox roster has been in the pits for the last several years. It’s really a testament to his skill that he has been able to keep these awful teams anywhere near .500, actually. 2024 will be a tough year again, but that doesn’t diminish Cora’s ability as a manager.
5. Rob Thomson, Philadelphia Phillies
Thompson has barnstormed his way into the top five MLB managers in the league after taking over for Joe Girardi in 2022. An NL Pennant and another deep playoff run later, it’s clear that Thompson is the guy to lead this high energy and hard-nosed Philly team. He has been able to get the most out of the talented roster and has the Phillies ready to compete for a title yet again in 2024.
4. Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays
Cash took the reins from Joe Madden in 2015 and didn’t miss a beat. He’s led the Rays to 6 straight playoff trips and had 90-win seasons in 4 of the last 5 full seasons. He’s got an AL Pennant in his cap and is looking to add a ring to his collection.
3. Brian Snikter, Atlanta Braves
Snitker has been the absolute man for the Braves. He’s shepherded a roster of talented young players into the Majors and made them into stars. He’s taken home a championship without his best player on the playoff roster and has made the Braves once again the dominant force in the NL East. He’d easily one of the best MLB managers in the NL if not for the next guy.
2. Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Roberts has kept the Dodgers as the top team in the sport for most of the past decade. He even got his ring in the 2020 shortened season, which contrary to many angry fans’ belief, is indeed a real championship. Roberts will need to show a little more playoff success if he wants to go down as an all-time legend, but right now there’s really only one manager you could want more leading your team.
1. Bruce Bochy, Texas Rangers
Bochy has the most wins and most rings of any active manager. This might be less relevant if that success was all in the past, but he’s the reigning champion. Enough said, number one, no questions asked.
