The MLB season is well underway, and head coaches across the league are devouring stat sheets and scouting reports, screaming for sacrifice bunts, watching pitch counts, and creating double switches to claim victories. The role of MLB managers is a significant one and its for this very reason that we decided to list the best MLB managers that are currently in the league.
Chicago Cubs – Joe Maddon
Joe Maddon utilises the out-of-the-box approach when it comes to his job and uses the talent he has in a very creative way to increase the overall performance of his team. This strategy has assisted him in transforming the Tampa Bay Rays from a devastating expansion franchise into a phenomenal contender within the American League. Since he joined the Chicago Cubs, he has assisted the team in winning more games than ever before, allowing him to claim the Manager of the Year award in the process.
San Francisco Giants – Bruce Bochy
Bruce Bochy is undoubtedly a Hall of Famer when he eventually decides to retire. He boasts with more World Series titles than any other baseball manager that is currently on the pitch, and he has also been with San Francisco for a little over a decade now. Before he decided to join the San Francisco Giants, this incredible manager managed to win 3 West titles in only 12 years. Bochy’s strategy has always been to do more with less even though he has loads of talent at his disposal.
Cleveland Indians – Terry Francona
When Francona was the manager of the Phillies between 1997 and 2000, he endured four losing seasons. However, he managed to earn a reputation as the best manager in baseball when it came to the Red Sox. During his first season with the Red Sox, he managed to break one of the most extended standing curses of the franchise when he led the team to the World Series since 1918. He also managed to lead Cleveland to their first playoff appearance and winning season in 6 years.
Baltimore Orioles – Buck Showalter
Showalter has managed to create success in every stop he has made as a manager, allowing him to earn the Manager of the Year award with three different MLB clubs while winning 100 games in 1999 with the Diamondbacks. During his time in Baltimore, he assisted the team in breaking a 14 season losing streak with an incredible 93-victory campaign during 2012 along with a postseason trip. The team hasn’t experienced a losing season since that occurred.