Major League Baseball continued to hand out awards on Tuesday, and announced that Don Mattingly of Evansville, IN has won the National League Manager of the Year, and Kevin Cash of Tampa, FL has been named the American Manager of the Year. Mattingly and Cash were both managing Major League Baseball’s two Florida-based teams in 2020, as Mattingly managed the Miami Marlins, while Cash managed the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays.
In 2020, the Marlins qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2003, when they beat the New York Yankees to win their second World Series in franchise history. During the 2020 Major League Baseball regular season, the Marlins finished second in the National League East with a record of 31 wins and 29 losses. This was the first time since 2009, the Marlins were above .500.
Miami was also in contention for a divisional title in the National League East for most of the year. However, they were beaten by the Atlanta Braves by four games. In the postseason, Miami beat the Chicago Cubs two games to none in the best-of-three National League Wildcard Series, before being swept by the Braves in the National League Divisional Series.
For Mattingly, this was his second significant individual award. In 1985, he was the American League Most Valuable Player while with the New York Yankees. That year he batted .324 with 35 home runs and 145 runs batted in. Mattingly led Major League Baseball that year in RBIs, doubles (48), and total bases (370).
Cash meanwhile led the Rays to an American League East Division title with a record of 40 wins and 20 losses. They then reached the World Series before losing in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Marlins and Rays had great success in 2020 despite low payrolls. The Marlins had the fourth-lowest payroll in Major League Baseball, while the Rays had the third-lowest payroll.
Cash became the second Rays manager to win the American League Manager of the Year award. Joe Maddon won in 2008 and 2011. Mattingly became the third Marlins manager to win the National League Manager of the Year award. Jack McKeon won in 2003, and Joe Girardi won in 2006.
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