Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy and Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt faced the daunting task of stepping into the shoes of beloved and successful predecessors when they were named managers of their respective teams during the offseason. Despite the pressure, both proved to be natural leaders.
Murphy was named National League Manager of the Year on Tuesday after an exceptional debut season with the Brewers.
Vogt, meanwhile, earned American League honors by guiding the Guardians to 92 wins and a division title in his first year as a manager at any level.
At just 40 years old, Vogt became the fastest individual to transition from major league player to Manager of the Year in two years, surpassing Joe Girardi, who achieved the feat within three years in 2006 with the Florida Marlins.
“I got way more excited when any one of our guys hit a home run than I ever did myself,” Vogt said. “That’s the beauty of this role — it’s not about you. It’s about your players and their successes.”
Murphy, 65, led the Brewers to a 93-69 record and an NL Central title, becoming the first manager in franchise history to win the award since its inception in 1983. Although Milwaukee fell to the New York Mets in the Wild Card Series, Murphy’s impact was undeniable.
Murphy’s journey to big league success was unconventional. He spent years as a college coach at Notre Dame and Arizona State before transitioning to the professional ranks in 2010.
After working in the Padres’ minor league system, he joined the Brewers in 2015 as bench coach under Craig Counsell, who had played for him at Notre Dame. When Counsell unexpectedly left for the Cubs in the offseason, Milwaukee seamlessly turned to Murphy.
“I just didn’t want to let the Brewers down,” Murphy said. “From the ownership, to the front office, to the players and coaching staff, I wanted to be prepared and make a positive impact.”
Murphy received 27 of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, beating out San Diego’s Mike Shildt and New York’s Carlos Mendoza. Shildt, Mendoza, and Philadelphia’s Rob Thomson each received one first-place vote.
On the AL side, Vogt, in his first season as Cleveland’s manager, replaced Terry Francona, a three-time Manager of the Year winner.
Under Vogt, the Guardians achieved a 92-69 record and reached the playoffs, advancing to the AL Championship Series before falling to the Yankees in five games.
“I knew I had to come in and be myself,” Vogt said. “I could never replace Tito or fill his shoes. My focus was to help our players reach their potential, and that was the goal from day one.”
Vogt became the third Cleveland manager to win the award, joining Francona (2013, 2016, 2022) and Eric Wedge (2007).
He received 27 of 30 first-place votes, while Kansas City’s Matt Quatraro earned two and Detroit’s A.J. Hinch one.
Mendoza, in his first year managing the Mets, led the team to an 89-win season and an appearance in the NL Championship Series, where they fell to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.
Shildt, who previously won NL Manager of the Year in 2019 with the Cardinals, guided the Padres to a 93-win season and a playoff berth in his debut season with San Diego.
Quatraro, 51, led a remarkable turnaround for the Royals, taking the team to the postseason after a 106-loss season the previous year.
Kansas City finished with an 86-76 record and defeated Baltimore in a Wild Card Series before falling to the Yankees in the Division Series. The team was powered by veteran catcher Salvador Perez and rising star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
Hinch, 50, orchestrated a playoff run for the Tigers in his fourth year as manager, despite losing key players like right-hander Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline.
A strong second-half surge propelled Detroit into the postseason, showcasing Hinch’s ability to rally his team under challenging circumstances.
