Managers across Major League Baseball had their work cut out for them in 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened to 60 games, expanded rosters opened up a new can of worms in regards to strategy, doubleheaders and postponements became commonplace, and off days were scarce.
A number of managers were able to overcome the obstacles and put their respective teams in position for success. Six such skippers have been recognized as finalists for the coveted Manager of the Year award, with Charlie Montoyo, Rick Renteria and Kevin Cash vying for the prize in the American League and Don Mattingly, David Ross and Jayce Tingler competing in the National League race.
Here's a look at each candidate as well as a prediction for who will take home the hardware on Nov. 10.
American League
Charlie Montoyo — Toronto Blue Jays
From the sometimes peculiar lineup constructions to the quick hooks on starting pitchers, you may not have agreed with every day-to-day decision Montoyo made this year. But when you take a step back, you do have to give him his fair share of credit.
The Blue Jays went from 95 losses in 2019 to a playoff team in 2020 and they did it without a true "home" since the pandemic forced them to play out of Buffalo's Sahlen Field. Montoyo maintained an upbeat attitude throughout the season and also had to maneuver injuries to several key players, including Bo Bichette, Ken Giles, Teoscar Hernandez, Jordan Romano, Rowdy Tellez, Nate Pearson and Matt Shoemaker.
Kevin Cash — Tampa Bay Rays
The lasting memory of Cash from 2020 will be his decision to pull Blake Snell in Game 6 of the World Series, a move that ultimately resulted in the Los Angeles Dodgers clinching the title that night. The playoffs aren't factored in when determining these awards and Cash should be commended for how he navigated the regular season.
Tampa Bay posted the best record in the American League (40-20) and did it while operating with MLB's third-lowest payroll. Cash consistently pulled the right strings, leaning heavily on analytics and maximizing his personnel by putting players in the best possible positions to succeed.
Rick Renteria — Chicago White Sox
This is a little awkward considering the White Sox fired Renteria after the season. Nonetheless, Renteria steered Chicago to its first playoff appearance in 12 years. It was also the franchise's first winning season since 2012. The White Sox did falter down the stretch, going 4-9 over their final 13 games. That run ultimately resulted in them dropping to third in the AL Central and gave them a significantly more difficult post-season path, which resulted in a first-round defeat.
It would be a surprise if Renteria won but it was only two years ago that Dwane Casey won the NBA's coach of the year after being fired by the Toronto Raptors. Stranger things have happened.
Prediction: Cash
Guiding his team to the best record in the AL with limited financial resources should be enough to clinch Cash his first Manager of the Year honour.
National League
Don Mattingly — Miami Marlins
The Marlins were the biggest surprise in baseball in 2020. One year after finishing with by far the National League's worst record, Miami turned things around and qualified for the playoffs. The Marlins then upset the Chicago Cubs in the wild-card round before falling to the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.
Mattingly deserves his due praise for getting the most out of his young group, as a whopping 18 Marlins made their big-league debuts in 2020. Perhaps most impressively, he helped his squad navigate a COVID-19 outbreak early in the season that resulted in a number of postponements and left the team scrambling to field an MLB-calibre roster.
Jayce Tingler — San Diego Padres
It was only a matter of time before the youthful Padres challenged the powerhouse Dodgers for NL West supremacy, and it ended up happening in Tingler's first season as an MLB manager. Tingler inherited one of baseball's most exciting up-and-coming lineups and he rose to the challenge, getting the team firing on all cylinders. He also had to deal with added pressure once general manager A.J. Preller pushed his chips to the centre of the table at the trade deadline. The future is bright in San Diego and this could be the first of many Manager of the Year nominations for Tingler.
David Ross — Chicago Cubs
Like Tingler, Ross thrived in his first year as manager. Ross was a beloved player when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016 and was tasked with managing much of the same core of players. Chicago ran out to a fast 13-3 start, then cruised to a playoff berth. Players and other coaches weren't shy in their praise for how Ross kept the team positive and focused throughout the pandemic-altered season.
Prediction: Mattingly
Miami arrived way ahead of schedule. Mattingly is to be commended for leading the Marlins' dramatic turnaround and helping them overcome an early coronavirus outbreak that could have derailed their season.
