Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt has been named the American League Manager of the Year following a remarkable inaugural season that saw the Guardians achieve 92 wins and clinch the division title.
At 40 years old, Vogt triumphed over fellow AL Central managers Matt Quatraro of Kansas City and A.J. Hinch from Detroit.
His outstanding performance was recognized with 27 out of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, with Quatraro receiving two votes and Hinch one.
In his debut season after taking over from Terry Francona, Vogt guided the Guardians to an impressive 92-69 record, successfully leading the team into the playoffs.
The former big league catcher steered Cleveland all the way to the American League Championship Series, where they faced off against the Yankees but were eliminated in five games.
Quatraro, the 51-year-old manager in his second year with the Royals, was instrumental in turning around a franchise that had suffered through a dismal 106-loss season the prior year.
This time, Kansas City finished strong with an 86-76 record, managing to advance to the postseason and defeating Baltimore in a Wild Card Series, before falling to the Yankees in a four-game Division Series.
Leading the Royals were notable players like catcher Salvador Perez and the promising young shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
Hinch, who is 50, is in his fourth season at the helm of the Tigers. His team made a notable playoff appearance fueled by an impressive second half of the season, even as they faced challenges losing significant players such as right-hander Jack Flaherty just before the trade deadline.
The announcement for the National League Manager of the Year was scheduled for later the same day.
