AL Manager of the Year Race: Who is Terry Francona’s Competition?

Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is one of the frontrunners to win Manager of the Year in the American League, but he’s got competition for the award. Who are the other contenders to take home the hardware?

As we wrote yesterday here at Wahoo’s on First, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona has a compelling case in the competition for the American League’s Manager of the Year award. The Indians, who on Monday night clinched their first AL Central Division championship since 2007, have navigated their way through adversity all season long, and Francona has been the steady hand at the wheel.

Cleveland finished 81-80 in 2015, some 13.5 games behind division winner Kansas City, and that was with a healthy Michael Brantley and a pitching staff among the league’s best that stayed far healthier than this season.

That the Indians have won 91 games and clinched the division title despite Brantley’s absence for all but 11 games, the struggles and injuries of catcher Yan Gomes, and the losses of both Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar from the starting rotation is a testament to the culture and attitude that Francona has instilled in the ballclub.

The Tribe isn’t the only team that has experienced a significant turnaround from last season or endured injuries to key players, though, and Francona’s competition to win Manager of the Year is stiff. Across the American League, there are skippers pushing the right buttons with their roster, making critical in-game decisions, and pushing their teams to be successful.

Let’s take a look at who Tito is up against, and why they deserve consideration for the award.