Managers of the Year Lead Teams to Playoffs in Inaugural Full Seasons

Pat Murphy and Stephen Vogt were recognized as the Managers of the Year on Tuesday, after steering their respective teams to the playoffs in their first full seasons at the helm. Murphy, a veteran coach with a lengthy collegiate career, guided the Milwaukee Brewers to a 93-69 record, securing the National League Central with a dominant 10-game lead over the Chicago Cubs. This marked the widest division gap in the 2024 Major League Baseball season.

Vogt, at 40, led the Cleveland Guardians to a 92-69 record, earning them the top spot in the American League Central. Under his leadership, the Guardians advanced to the AL Championship Series before losing to rivals.

Historically, only once have two rookie managers won the Manager of the Year accolades in the same season. This occurred in 2019 with Rocco Baldelli of the Twins and Mike Shildt of the Cardinals, as per the Elias Sports Bureau. Before his transition to management, Vogt played for six MLB teams over a decade, earning All-Star designations twice.

Vogt transitioned from playing to managing after retiring in 2022 and served as a bullpen coach. «Every single day you go to work and you have a job and you can have a bad day or you can have a day where you don’t really feel like being 100 percent there,» Vogt remarked, highlighting the dedication required for the managerial role. «But in this job, my sole goal is to be 100 percent present for the other people in that clubhouse.»

Murphy’s journey to Brewers manager was long but successful. He spent years on Milwaukee’s bench after an extensive college coaching career, including a tenure at Arizona State where he led the team to four College World Series tournaments. «Those eight years taught me a lot because I really focused on trying to be the assistant or the bench coach that I would want and I wasn’t great at it,» said Murphy of his experience as a bench coach. «I’d tell Couns all the time, ‘How can I help you more, man, what can I do? Where do I fit?'»

Under Murphy’s command, the Brewers performed beyond expectations, dominating the division by taking the lead in May and maintaining their position throughout the season. Their playoff run ended in the wild card round after losing to their opponents in a decisive Game 3 despite losing a late-inning advantage.

Murphy received 27 out of 30 first-place votes, indicating widespread approval of his managerial debut. Vogt also received 27 first-place votes, surpassing AL Central rivals Matt Quatraro and A.J. Hinch, who received two and one first-place votes, respectively. «It’s just a testament to the entire group’s work and what we’ve accomplished,» Vogt commented on his team’s success and his award.

«Everyone knew that Stephen Vogt was going to be something special in baseball,» Murphy said, acknowledging his colleague’s impact on the Guardian’s performance. Both Murphy and Vogt have set the bar high for first-time managers, reflecting their unique approaches to leadership and team cohesion.