MLB's underdog playoff trips win Manager of the Year awards for Skip Schumaker, Brandon Hyde
Major League Baseball revealed the winners of the 2023 Manager of the Year awards, with the Baltimore Orioles' Brandon Hyde and Miami Marlins' Skip Schumaker taking home the hardware in their respective leagues.
Hyde earned 27 of 30 first-place votes in the American League, while Schumaker earned just eight in a competitive NL field in the Baseball Writers' Association of America balloting.
Hyde beat out AL finalists Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers and Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays, while Schumaker finished ahead of NL finalists Craig Counsell of the Milwaukee Brewers and Brian Snitker of the Atlanta Braves.
Here's what to know about the 2023 winners:
AL Manager of the Year: Brandon Hyde, Orioles
Two years after finishing with 110 losses, Hyde let the Orioles to their first postseason trip since 2016, winning 101 games and the American League East title.
Hyde is the fourth Orioles manager to win the award, joining Frank Robinson (1989), Davey Johnson (1997) and Buck Showalter (2014).
“I'm so fortunate for the coaching staff I have and how positive they are, and how they helped me along the way and made me better,” Hyde said Tuesday. “Along with that, too, the patience that (general manager Mike Elias) and the front office have shown to me. They were more patient than me – I've said that lot – through those tough few years.”
Hyde was hired by Baltimore prior to the 2019 season, losing 108 games that year. The Orioles went 25-35 in the shortened 2020 season, then lost 110 in 2021 – before starting their turnaround with a surprising 83-79 record in 2022.
“I don't think you expect to go into a season expecting to win 101 games in the regular season, to be honest with you,” Hyde said. “I was just hoping we'd build off last year – I was really encouraged by the second half we had last year.”
Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson won the AL Rookie of the Year award on Monday and there's even more new Orioles talent on the horizon in 2024, highlighted by MLB's top prospect Jackson Holliday.
“Watching Gunnar win that last night, that was an amazing feeling. So happy for him and his family,” Hyde said. “I’m fortunate to be around a great, great group of guys.”
NL Manager of the Year: Skip Schumaker, Marlins
In his first season with Miami, Schumaker led the club to its first playoff appearance in a non-shortened season since 2003, earning one of the NL wild-card spots.
Schumaker is the eighth skipper to win the award in his first career season as a manager and the fourth in Marlins history, joining Jack McKeon (2003), Joe Girardi (2006) and Don Mattingly (2020).
The Marlins went 84-78 – despite being outscored by 57 runs in the regular season – and had remarkable 33-14 record in one-run games. They were swept in the wild-card series by the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I would rather win by 10 than one, than to come from behind. There’s no doubt about that. But I think it wouldn’t have made it as special as it was this year," said Schumaker, who played 11 seasons and retired in 2016.
Schumaker received eight first-place votes, finishing ahead of fellow finalists Craig Counsell and Brian Snitker. Torey Lovullo, Dave Roberts, David Bell and David Ross also received votes.
MLB Manager of the Year voting results
Voting on a 5-3-1 system, first-place votes in parenthesis
American League
Brandon Hyde, Orioles (27) – 144
Bruce Bochy, Rangers (3) – 61
Kevin Cash, Rays – 58
Dusty Baker, Astros – 4
John Schneider, Blue Jays – 1
National League
Skip Schumaker, Marlins (8) – 72
Craig Counsell, Brewers (5) – 51
Brian Snitker, Braves (8) – 48
Torey Lovullo, Diamondbacks (4) – 42
Dave Roberts, Dodgers (4) – 41
David Bell, Reds (1) – 13
David Ross, Cubs – 3
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB awards 2023: Manager of the Year for Skip Schumaker, Brandon Hyde
