Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy was named National League Manager of the Year on Tuesday, becoming the first manager in either league to win the award in three consecutive seasons.
The honour was voted by the Baseball Writers' Association of America before the postseason and announced Tuesday night. The Brewers led the majors with a franchise-record 103 regular-season wins, then swept the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series and beat Tampa Bay in a five-game World Series for the franchise's first title. Milwaukee has won the NL Central in all three seasons under Murphy, who spent eight seasons on Craig Counsell's staff.
Murphy, who turns 68 on Nov. 28, did his television interviews from a hospital bed while recovering from hip replacement surgery. He collected 20 of 30 first-place votes and 124 points. Philadelphia's Don Mattingly and Atlanta's Walt Weiss were the other finalists; Weiss was second with seven first-place votes and 86 points.
The Brewers operate in Major League Baseball's smallest market with a payroll in the bottom half of the majors, yet have posted the best record in the big leagues in each of the past two seasons. After the NLCS sweep, Murphy said the Dodgers had Hall of Famers but his team had gamers. He is only the fourth manager to win the award three times with the same organisation, joining Bobby Cox, Terry Francona and Dusty Baker; Cox is the only other back-to-back NL winner. In the American League, Will Venable of the White Sox was named Manager of the Year.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Murphy's three-peat is the first by any manager in either league, putting him alongside Bobby Cox, Terry Francona and Dusty Baker in the award's record book.
- The honour recognises a small-market club that has now had the majors' best regular-season record for two straight years.
- Because balloting happened before the playoffs, the award does not reflect the Brewers' first World Series championship, which came after the vote.
Background
The BBWAA has presented the Manager of the Year award annually since 1983, with writers voting after the regular season. Murphy has now won in each of his three seasons at the Brewers' helm after eight years on Craig Counsell's staff, and this year's vote was completed before Milwaukee's postseason run.
What to Watch
- Whether Murphy's recovery from hip replacement surgery affects his offseason preparations or dugout availability.
- Whether Milwaukee can defend its World Series title in 2027.
- Whether the Brewers' run of NL Central titles, and Murphy's award streak, continues next season.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedPat Murphy won the NL Manager of the Year award for a third consecutive year.Chicago Sun-Times: “Pat Murphy from first-time World Series champion Milwaukee is the NL Manager of the Year, making him the first skipper from either league to win the award three years in a row.”
- SupportedMurphy was the first manager in either league to win the award three years in a row.Chicago Sun-Times: “making him the first skipper from either league to win the award three years in a row.”
- SupportedMurphy was named National League Manager of the Year on Tuesday.Chicago Sun-Times: “Balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America was conducted before the postseason and announced Tuesday night.”
- SupportedThe award was voted on before the postseason and announced Tuesday night.Chicago Sun-Times: “Balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America was conducted before the postseason and announced Tuesday night.”
- SupportedThe Brewers led the majors with a franchise-record 103 regular-season wins.Chicago Sun-Times: “The Brewers led the majors this year with a franchise-record 103 wins during the regular season”
- SupportedThe Brewers swept the Dodgers in the NLCS and beat Tampa Bay in a five-game World Series.Chicago Sun-Times: “then in the playoffs swept the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series and beat Tampa Bay in a five-game World Series.”
- SupportedThe World Series win was the Brewers franchise's first title.Chicago Sun-Times: “Pat Murphy from first-time World Series champion Milwaukee”
- SupportedMilwaukee won the NL Central in all three seasons Murphy was its manager.Chicago Sun-Times: “Milwaukee has won the NL Central in all three seasons with Murphy as its manager”
- SupportedMurphy spent eight seasons on Craig Counsell's staff.Chicago Sun-Times: “after he spent eight seasons on Craig Counsell's staff.”
- SupportedMurphy did interviews from a hospital bed while recovering from hip replacement surgery.Chicago Sun-Times: “Murphy, who turns 68 on Nov. 28, was in a hospital bed recovering from hip replacement surgery when he did interviews on MLB Network before and after the announcement.”
- SupportedMurphy received 20 of 30 first-place votes and 124 points.Chicago Sun-Times: “Murphy got 20 of 30 first-place votes and finished with 124 points.”
- SupportedMurphy said the Dodgers had Hall of Famers but his team had gamers.Chicago Sun-Times: “Murphy celebrated by saying the Dodgers had Hall of Famers but his team had gamers.”