The 2023 Major League Baseball regular season is over, and the MLB awards season will soon be here.
Here are our top five picks for the 2023 MLB Manager of the Year Award from the National League:
5) Skip Schumaker, Miami Marlins
Skip Schumaker led the Miami Marlins back to the postseason in his debut season as a manager in the Major League, taking them there for the first time in a full, 162-game season since 2003. Schumaker stands a very good chance of taking home this honour because the press typically honours coaches whose teams perform better than predicted prior to the season. But despite winning 84 games, the Marlins just missed making the playoffs, in large part because of the Chicago Cubs’ collapse. Schumaker’s success cannot be reduced; yet, we felt that there were a few more deserving competitors.
4) Rob Thomson, Philadelphia Phillies
The Fightin’ Phils are 155-118 under Thomson after taking over a 22-29 squad midway through last season. The Philadelphia Phillies won an NL Pennant in Thomson’s first half-season, their first since 2009. The Phillies improved in 2023, winning three more games than they did the previous year and securing the top Wild Card berth in the National League. They also avoided a World Series hangover.
3) Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker
The Atlanta Braves had one of the best lineups in baseball history, and their 104 victories this season gave them their most since 1998. There is no doubt that a worthy candidate would be the manager of baseball’s top team.
2) Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dave Roberts
The Los Angeles Dodgers said farewell to Trea Turner, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, and other players during a quiet offseason. Following the Dodgers’ roughly $50 million payroll reduction, several predicted that Los Angeles would regress. With the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Dave Roberts’ team achieved 100 wins for the fourth consecutive year and won their 10th division crown in 11 seasons.
1) Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Craig Counsell
What a season it would be to leave on if this ends up being Craig Counsell’s last with the Milwaukee Brewers! When Corbin Burnes, Willy Adames, and Brandon Woodruff’s names started to surface in trade rumours last winter, many people predicted that the Brewers would regress in 2023. Milwaukee won 92 games en route to their third consecutive NL Central division championship. It’s incredible that Counsell has not received a Manager of the Year Award in his nine years leading the Brewers. He should make this his year.