Who is the best manager in MLB right now?

It's true that Roberts has the most talent on his squad, but he's made it work seamlessly over the last two seasons. The Dodgers are hoping for a three-peat this year, and Roberts' run with the Dodgers has been amazing, with three World Series rings and five appearances over 10 seasons.

After a year away from the game, Francona helped guide the young Reds back to the playoffs in 2025. His old-school style blended with an analytical mind has been a perfect fit for the Reds, and "Tito" certainly has credibility with two World Series rings from Boston and another appearance in Cleveland.

Cash's loyalty to the Rays has been admirable over the last 11 years. The two-time Manager of the Year has kept his head up through a seemingly constant rebuild, and the organization has had its share of bad luck with injuries and off-field issues. The Rays are now in a two-year playoff drought in the difficult AL East, but there's not much debate that they have the right man for the job to get them back on track.

The Tigers have World Series aspirations in 2026, and Hinch has experience after a championship five-year run in Houston from 2015-2019. He's successfully helped guide a rebuild for both organizations and led the Tigers to playoff appearances over the last two seasons. His even-keeled guidance has been key to Detroit's success, but anything short of a World Series berth this year could be a disappointment in what's likely Tarik Skubal's last year in Detroit before a massive payday in free agency.

The Cubs made a big investment in Counsell, taking him from the division rival Brewers in 2024. The investment has proven wise so far, with the Cubs returning to the playoffs after winning 92 games last season. His resume in Milwaukee over nine seasons was tremendous, helping bring the Brewers back into relevance with five postseason appearances.

Murphy was promoted from bench coach to replace Craig Counsell in 2024, and the results couldn't be much better. Milwaukee has won the NL Central division in back-to-back seasons, upsetting the Cubs with a young but deep squad. Murphy's remarkable history as both a pro and college coach has aided him with a young roster that has gone through its fair share of change, and the team's ability to break through the glass ceiling of expectations has won him the NL Manager of the Year award in both seasons.

Vogt has had quite the start to his managerial career, winning AL Manager of the Year in back-to-back seasons as the Guardians continue to exceed expectations. The team overcame the suspensions of Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz in 2025 to win the AL Central for the second straight year, and it's tough to fathom how the former MLB catcher could do any better for the low-budget Cleveland squad.

Schneider has helped lead the Jays to the playoffs in three of his four seasons, including taking the Dodgers to the brink in the 2025 World Series. Ownership's willingness to spend has certainly aided Schneider on the field, but he's also a well-liked and fiery manager in the clubhouse.

Boone has a strong track record as the Yankees manager, making the playoffs in seven of eight seasons and winning the AL pennant in 2024. Of course, his support is far greater in the Yankees front office than it is with the fanbase, as owner Hal Steinbrenner hasn't inherited the win-or-else mantra of his late father. Boone's fiery attitude has made a fan of his players, but it remains to be seen how much longer the team will be happy without winning another ring.

It's unclear how much of Seattle's improvement since hiring Wilson late in 2024 can be directly attributed to him, but it's indisputable that the results are strong. Seattle went 21-13 in the regular season after Wilson took over in 2024, and the former catcher led the team to an AL West title last season. Seattle's roster is loaded with young talent, but they started to produce much more offensively last season with the help of Wilson and his coaching staff.

Espada had big shoes to fill taking over for Dusty Baker in 2024, and has had to overcome the loss of key franchise players like Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, and Framber Valdez along the way. He's helped keep the team competitive, winning the AL West in 2024 and falling just short last season. However, the situation in Houston could change rapidly as the team continues to shed core talent, as Espada and the Astros do their best to hang on to their great run of the last decade.

Known as a player's manager, Lovullo has had a strong nine-year run in Arizona, including two playoff appearances and one NL pennant. He's done a fine job guiding the team's rebuild, from a 110-loss season in 2021 to their playoff appearance two years later. Unfortunately, the Dodgers' competitiveness in the NL West has somewhat limited the Diamondbacks' success.

The Marlins finished below .500 in McCullough's first season, but they couldn't have done much more to exceed expectations with 79 wins after losing 100 games in 2024. He's been a strong voice to complement Miami's analytical front office, and breakout seasons from Kyle Stowers, Otto Lopez, and Agustin Ramirez are signs that McCullough's arrival has helped.

Coming over from the Yankees, Mendoza made the playoffs in his first season as Mets manager in 2024. The 2025 season was a big disappointment as the Mets struggled while navigating multiple injuries to their pitching staff, and the roster was refaced in the offseason. The expectations are as high as ever for Mendoza's squad as owner Steve Cohen continues to spend big money. Mendoza has his supporters in the media, but has yet to make a clear impact on the field.

Quatraro's history as a member of the sabermetrics-minded Rays coaching staff has been a good fit for a Royals team that was too old school under former manager Mike Matheny. He's led Kansas City to back-to-back winning seasons and helped develop stars like Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia, though Quatraro's patience is being tested with the backend of KC's bullpen early in 2026.

The situation Kotsay has managed with the Athletics since 2022 has been difficult, to say the least. The A"s have moved to a temporary home in Sacramento while they wait to move into a permanent home in Las Vegas, yet the Athletics have continued to make strides under Kotsay's watch with an imposing lineup. Kotsay's consistency and development of the young squad should eventually pay dividends.

Schumaker saw ups and downs in his two seasons as Marlins manager, winning 84 games and making the playoffs in 2023, only to lead a 100-loss season in 2024 after the team shed talent. He's an old-school motivator, molded through years as one of Tony La Russa's favorite players on the Cardinals roster, and has enormous shoes to fill replacing Bruce Bochy in Texas.

Marmol's squad won the NL Central in his first season in 2022, but has taken a big step back in recent years. It's hard to pin all the struggles on Marmol, as the former front office struggled to adjust and was caught between competing and rebuilding. Still, the struggles of the team's young players under Marmol's watch haven't been a feather in his cap. Now, in a full rebuild, the Cardinals remain hopeful that Marmol can lead the team back to where they were before, serving as a model for other organizations to emulate.

A native son of Pittsburgh, Kelly got the permanent managerial job after the Pirates showed progress with him in the interim role last season, when they went 59-65. His history as a coach in the organization goes back to 2020, and Kelly has made a seamless transition to manager. The expectations for results are rising now that the team's top prospects and young players are blossoming.

Venable took over the White Sox after a historic losing season in 2024. They didn't make much progress in his first season, losing 102 games, but the perception of the team has improved already. The White Sox likely have a long way to go before they're competitive again, but the early returns under Venable are encouraging.

Shelton's run in Pittsburgh didn't go well, including five-plus losing seasons and two 100-loss campaigns. Yet, the Twins jumped at the chance to hire Shelton due to his experience as they try to take a more straightforward approach after their recent struggles under Rocco Baldeli. Shelton's history in the organization as the bench coach in 2018-2019 played in his favor, though the expectations remain relatively low in Minnesota with an ownership that has sat on its wallet recently.

Schaeffer took over for Bud Black on an interim basis last season, going 36-86 for a bad Rockies squad plagued by injuries. The former infield and third base coach was named to the managerial job permanently after a new front office was hired, and is now being tasked with developing the young team out of the cellar.

Mattingly gets his third opportunity as a manager, at least on an interim basis, after replacing the fired Rob Thomson. The former Yankees All-Star is highly respected around the game, but his managerial track record is mixed, with a 59-game deficit below .500 over 12 seasons with the Dodgers and Marlins. The Phillies hope another voice can get their expensive offense going, but there's a reason teams weren't lining up to hire Mattingly for his third stint.

Albernaz is a first-year manager, but won't have much time to develop in the role, with a talented young roster and an organization that expects to win in 2026 after a disappointing season. A former coach with the Giants and Guardians, Albernaz is used to being a part of teams that exceed expectations, so he could be the perfect fit for the O's.

The 33-year-old Butera became one of the youngest managers in MLB history when he was hired by the Nationals this offseason. It's a good fit given his background as a minor league manager and a member of the Rays' front office, with a Washington franchise in a complete rebuild under new leadership.

The hire of Stammen was surprising and unorthodox, to say the least. The long-time reliever didn't have any managerial experience before San Diego hired him this offseason, though he did serve two seasons as an assistant to the coaching staff and baseball operations department. He has big shoes to fill after the success that Mike Shildt had over the last two seasons.

Suzuki landed a one-year contract to become the Angels manager in 2026 and got off to a roaring start. For all the organization's recent futility, they still have star power led by Mike Trout, and Suzuki has shown a willingness to give his best players freedom early in his tenure.

The son of former MLB manager Jim Tracy, Chad has big shoes to fill after the Red Sox fired Alex Cora in late April. Alex Cora earned a reputation as one of the top managers in baseball, but Boston is hoping a change will jumpstart their talented roster.

The Giants are hopeful that what many see as an experiment in hiring Vitello directly from college will later be regarded as a stroke of genius. His college resume speaks for itself, with a National Championship at Tennessee in 2024 and two SEC titles.

Like many managers, Weiss struggled in his four-year tenure with the Rockies from 2013 to 2016 but is getting a second chance in Atlanta. He's already faced major scrutiny with multiple pitcher injuries and Jurickson Profar's 162-game suspension before managing his first game with the Braves, but still has the roster to help return Atlanta to the playoffs in 2026.