25 MLB managers who found success with multiple teams

There are only four managers in Major League Baseball history to win two World Series titles with different teams. The beloved Anderson is one of them. First, he guided Cincinnati’s "Big Red Machine" to back-to-back World Series triumphs in 1975 and 1976. Then, nearly a decade later, Anderson won another title with a dominant Detroit Tigers' club in 1984. During his 26 years as a big-league manager, Anderson won 2,194 games – good for sixth-most all time -- and posted an impressive .545 winning percentage. The Hall-of-Famer was twice named AL Manager of the Year with the Tigers.

Baker finally shed the moniker of best manager never to win a World Series when the Houston Astros took down the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022. Not only is the venerable and widely respected Baker the only black manager to win 2,000 MLB games, he's also the first to lead five different franchises to division titles. He did it twice with San Francisco (1997, 2000), then as manager of the Chicago Cubs in 2003, and two more times while guiding Cincinnati (2010, '12). Baker then spent two seasons in Washington, where he won the NL East in 2016 and '17. Baker won the AL West in two of his first three seasons with Houston.

Berra spent parts of just seven seasons as a major-league manager, which included two brief stints, totaling three years, with his beloved New York Yankees. Of course, Berra enjoyed some solid success in that role. First, by leading the Yankees to the World Series in his first full managerial season in 1964, only to lose in seven games versus St. Louis. Berra then guided an 82-win New York Mets squad to the Fall Classic in 1973. Of course, that group ran into the dynasty known as the Oakland Athletics in losing another World Series.

It's not surprising that Bochy, in his first season managing the Texas Rangers, had them leading the AL West in June 2023. With more than 2,040 victories, Bochy ranks 10th all-time in MLB history. He's one of 10 managers to win at least three World Series. All of these came with the San Francisco Giants, and were done during even-number years (2010, 2012, and 2014). And, before impressively guiding San Francisco to those three rings, Bochy won four division tiles while leading the San Diego Padres from 1995-2006. In ’98, the Padres won the NL before falling to the New York Yankees in the World Series.

It still seems hard to believe that amid all the success Cox had during his second stint with Atlanta Braves, his managerial career included just one World Series crown (1995) guiding those teams. Now, his Braves did win five NL pennants (’91, ’92, ’95, ’96, ’99), and Cox’s 2,504 victories rank fourth all-time among Major League skippers. Often overshadowed by his time with the Braves is that Cox won a division title with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985, when they finished 99-62. In fact, Toronto posted back-to-back 89-win seasons under Cox in the two years prior. He was also named manager of the year with both clubs.

Cronin won more than 1,200 games and posted a .540 winning percentage during a managerial career that spanned 1933-'47. Now, Cronin made just two postseason appearances as a manager, but at a time that meant those teams were in the World Series. During his first season, as a player-manager for the Washington Senators in '33, his club lost in five games to the New York Giants. It would not be until 1946 when Cronin returned to the World Series, but his Boston Red Sox lost to St. Louis in seven games. 

Just shy off 1,000 wins (994) for his managerial career, Dark helmed five different clubs from 1961-'77. In just his second season as manager, in 1962, Dark guided the San Francisco Giants to the World Series, where they lost in seven games to the New York Yankees. Following two less-than-stellar stints with Kansas City and Cleveland, Dark took his managing act across the Bay to Oakland, where he followed up Dıck Williams by leading the A's to a third of three straight World Series titles in 1974. He also took them to the AL Championship Series the next season.

Sure, Durocher could be volatile, especially when it came to dealing with umpires. However, he also won more than 2,000 games, three pennants and a World Series -- in 1954 with the New York Giants -- as a manager. Durocher’s legacy has been a mixed bag when it comes to historians. While the success was there, it often came with a win-at-all-cost attitude and approach to the game. Still, the Hall-of-Famer twice guided teams in Brooklyn that won 100 or more games, and posted six straight winning seasons with the Chicago Cubs.

Only Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy have more career victories among active managers than Francona, who's posted more than 1,901 during a career that's spanned over 20 seasons. Known as "Tito," Francona ended the Boston Red Sox’s 86-year World Series drought in 2004 — in his first season as the team’s manager — and then claimed another ring in 2007. As of 2023, he was still trying to guide the Cleveland Guardians to their first world championship since 1948. However, he has won four AL Central titles in Cleveland and nearly won that much-anticipated championship in 2016.

Harris might be best known as the youngest manager in Major League Baseball history when he took over the Washington Senators in 1924. At age 28, Harris led the Senators to their lone World Series title that same year. The following year, Washington again won the pennant but lost in the World Series. It wasn’t until 1947 that Harris claimed his next World Series title as a manager — leading the New York Yankees to victory in a seven-game classic against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Harris ranks in the top 10 with 2,159 managerial victories.

Johnson has generated success just about anywhere he's gone, whether as a player or coach. He won two World Series as a player with the Baltimore Orioles, then after becoming a manager, blossomed into one of the best in the game. From 1984-2013, Johnson managed five different teams -- New York Mets, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington. Remarkably, Johnson guided four of those clubs to division titles, failing only with the Dodgers, who won 86 games for him in 2000. Of course, Johnson, who won manager of the year with both the Orioles and Nationals, took the Mets to that thrilling, comeback World Series victory over Boston in 1986.

Second all-time in major-league history with 2,901 managerial victories. La Russa has earned legend status with two franchises — the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals, where he won six combined pennants. In 1989, he guided the A’s to the World Series title, and twice claimed the crown with the Cardinals (2006 and 2011). La Russa also took the White Sox to a division crown in 1983, then returned to that same dugout in 2021, following a 10-year absence. La Russa led the White Sox to 93 wins and an AL Central title during that ’21 campaign.

Leyland ranks among the top 20 all time with his 1,769 managerial victories. A three-time manager of the year, Leyland is another skipper who took two different teams, from both leagues, to the World Series. Of course, he won it all with the 1997 Florida Marlins, and came up just short twice with Detroit in 2006 and 2012. Before that, however, Leyland guided Pittsburgh to three consecutive division titles from 1990-'92, but never won a playoff series in any of those seasons. 

Lopez is one of those great managers who, dubiously, can be put in the category of best not to win a World Series. That, obviously, should not diminish anything Lopez accomplished as a big-league manager. He won 850 games and posted an exceptional .564 winning percentage during his 17 seasons as skipper with Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox. Lopez, known for his laid-back, hands-off approach with his players, took both franchises to the World Series, first with a 111-win Cleveland club in 1954, and then with Chicago in 1959.

Of all those included on this list, Maddon just might be the most deserving. In many ways, he's a miracle worker. He guided a then-lowly Tampa Bay franchise to the 2008 AL pennant — its first winning season in franchise history. Then, and perhaps even more impressive, Maddon became the first manager since Frank Chance to win a World Series with the Chicago Cubs, in 2016. Maddon led the Cubs to 92 or more wins in four of his five seasons as manager. Now, Maddon's return to the Los Angeles Angels didn't work out well, but he's won 1,382 career games and boasts a .532 winning percentage.

Martin is one of the game's true characters, for better or worse, and often at his own hand. That said, he could also manage in the majors pretty well. While his two tenures guiding the New York Yankees got the most attention and produced his only managerial World Series triumph, Martin also had significant success elsewhere in baseball. He led teams to division titles in Minnesota (1969), Detroit (1972), and Oakland (1981). He managed parts of 18 seasons, posting a 1,253-1,013 record, good for a highly impressive .553 winning percentage.

One of the 12 managers to win at least 2,000 games, 2,125 to be exact. McCarthy managed three of the most storied franchises in baseball (Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox). In 24 seasons as a manager, McCarthy never suffered a losing record. He won nine pennants — the first manager to win in both leagues — and led the Yankees to seven World Series titles, including four straight from 1936-39. In Chicago, McCarthy went 442-321 and led the Cubs to the NL pennant in 1929. While managing the Red Sox, McCarthy’s teams combined for a 223-145 mark in a little more than two seasons.

Known as "The Deacon." McKechnie has certainly left his mark in the annals of Major League Baseball. For starters, McKechnie is one of two big-league managers to win three pennants with three different teams, doing so with Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Cincinnati. He also holds the distinction of being the first manager to win a World Series with two different clubs, guiding the Pirates to the crown in 1925, and Reds in 1940. McKechnie totaled 1,896 managerial victories as a big-league skipper, which as of 2023, ranks 16th all-time.

One of the great active managers in the game, Melvin, as of 2023, was manning the dugout for the San Diego Padres, with whom he took to the NLCS in his debut campaign of 2022. That was the third different team that Melvin has guided to the playoffs. Following a decent stint in Arizona (which included an NLCS trip in 2007), some of Melvin's best work came in Oakland, from 2011-2021. He led the Oakland A’s to back-to-back 97-win seasons in 2018-19, and a third-straight trip to the postseason in ’20 -- marking the second such playoff run while in charge of the club. 

We're digging deep into the annals to note Moran's success as a big-league manager. Soon after retiring as a player in 1914, Moran was named manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. Those Phillies won 268 games during Moran's first three seasons in charge (1915-'17), and reached the World Series during his rookie managerial campaign. Then while managing the Cincinnati Reds, Moran guided that franchise to its first World Series title, beating the Chicago White Sox in 1919. For this nine-year managerial career, Moran went 748-586 (.561).

A World Series champion as a player and manager, "Sweet Lou" should be lauded more for the latter. He managed five teams and earned manager of the year honors three times. It began with the Yankees, who he starred with during the mid-to-late 1970s. However, it was his first season with Cincinnati in 1990 that Piniella won the World Series. Then it was off to Seattle, where his Mariners won four AL West titles over a seven-season span, highlighted by that historic 116-win squad of 2001. Yet, none of those Seattle playoff teams won a postseason series. The same goes for his back-to-back NL Central-winning teams with the Chicago Cubs in 2007 and '08. Still, Piniella ranks 17th all-time with 1,835 managerial victories.

Still going strong, Showalter is among the top 20 managers with more than 1,680 victories in more than 20 years of service. He's the only skipper to win manager of the year in four different decades and the third to claim that honor with four different clubs (New York Yankees, Texas, Baltimore, New York Mets). Showalter has also won division titles while managing four different teams. However, in rather stunning fashion, none of Showalter's teams have reached the World Series. In his late 60s, it doesn't seem Showalter is ready to leave the dugout soon. So, hope still remains.

Talk about getting the job done. Southworth posted a stellar 1,044-704 (.597) record as a manager, thus producing one of the best winning percentages in major-league history. He won over 600 games guiding the St. Louis Cardinals, and two World Series -- in 1942 and '44. Southworth then managed the Boston Braves from 1946-'51, where his teams won 81 or more games four times. Southworth suffered just two losing seasons during his 13-year run as a manager -- his first in 1929 and last in 1951, when those teams were a combined five games under .500.

As of 2023, Torre, who enjoyed a Hall-of-Fame career as a player, ranks fifth all-time with 2,326 wins as in a managerial capacity. Torre’s run as a manager toiled in his early days on the job with the New York Mets before winning a division title at Atlanta and posting three straight over-.500 seasons with St. Louis. However, it was, obviously, with the New York Yankees where Torre’s managerial legacy was truly etched. He guided New York to six AL pennants and four World Series titles, including three straight from 1998-2000.

The venerable Williams joins Bill McKechnie as the only managers to win three pennants with three clubs. One of baseball’s great personalities, Williams guided those high-powered Oakland Athletics teams to back-to-back World Series titles in 1972 and 1973. However, his best managerial job might have been taking an afterthought-1967 Red Sox group all the way to the World Series. In 1984, Williams led the San Diego Padres to the Fall Classic but also fell short in winning it all again. For his career, Williams won more than 1,500 games and posted a .520 winning percentage.