The job of an MLB manager is a brutal one. Making fans happy is an impossible task, as it could come at the detriment of those who rely on you most (the players) and the people who are ultimately in charge (the front office and ownership). Thus, managers are often the fall guys for failure, even though they don't put the team together. For example, when Craig Breslow's Boston Red Sox were struggling to start the 2026 MLB season, he dumped a World Series-winning skipper in Alex Cora to give his team a jolt — and it worked!
That being said, there are just 30 of these jobs, as any manager will tell you. No matter how often they are unceremoniously fired or blamed by a fanbase for taking a starting pitcher out too soon, it's well worth it. Not all skippers are created equal, and those who stand out the most — think Craig Counsell, for example — are paid handsomely. Even Counsell has his moments of over-managing and shoddy lineup construction. It's our job to bring these men down a peg, or give them the credit they deserve.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Torey Lovullo
Grade: B+
I give Torey Lovullo a ton of credit, as the Diamondbacks return to form was not on my bingo card. Arizona has dealt with clubhouse issues thanks to Ketel Marte, and were even floated as trade deadline sellers prior to early August. Lovullo has navigated all of that, as veteran managers of his stature often can, to keep the clubhouse together as they chase an NL Wild Card spot. This roster is greater than the sum of its parts, and much of that is on Lovullo, who should stay in Arizona as long as he wants.
-Mark Powell, FanSided.com MLB director
Athletics: Mark Kotsay
Grade: D+
Mark Kotsay was not given a serious big-league pitching staff, so in a sense it shouldn’t be surprising that the A’s have fallen apart after a relatively promising start. Injuries to Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker haven’t helped, either. But he also has made consistently puzzling bullpen management decisions, and at a certain point this team needs to take a step forward or make a change.
-Chris Landers, FanSided.com MLB editor
Atlanta Braves: Walt Weiss
Grade: A-
The Braves pitching staff is littered with injuries, and Atlanta was without Ronald Acuña Jr. for a few months earlier this season. If you told me all of that in March, followed by the revelation that the Braves would be atop the NL East standings and fighting for the best record in the league by mid-August, I wouldn't have believed you. Walt Weiss has picked up right where Brian Snitker left off. Stability was the right call in finding Snitker's replacement. Alex Anthopoulos nailed this hire.
-MP
Baltimore Orioles: Craig Albernaz
Grade: D
It’s not Albernaz’s fault that Gunnar Henderson is slumping through his worst season as a pro, or that much of the young core Baltimore envisioned as the foundation for a playoff push has failed to live up to expectation. Then again, he also hasn’t inspired a ton of confidence in his lineup construction and bullpen management, and clearly his messaging both internally and externally isn’t getting the job done.
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Boston Red Sox: Chad Tracy
Grade: A-
Chad Tracy isn’t the sole reason why the Red Sox went from floundering to historically hot this summer, roaring back from the AL East cellar into a playoff spot. The Red Sox offense was never going to stay that punchless forever, for one thing. But it’s no easy thing to take the reins midseason in a market like Boston and keep things on course, and Tracy has clearly won the support of a pretty young (and often combustible) clubhouse.
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Chicago Cubs: Craig Counsell
Grade: B+
Cubs fans complain about Counsell far more often than they should. Does he tinker a bit much for my liking? Sure. Could his bullpen management use some work? Absolutely. The same can be said about any manager, and when you consider what Counsell is working with — a pitching staff and bullpen that, for most of the season, was short its horses — you can start to understand why Jed Hoyer made him the (then) highest-paid manager in baseball. The Cubs know what they're getting in Counsell, and it's a top-flight skipper who can adjust on the fly.
-MP
Chicago White Sox: Will Venable
Grade: A-
Things have gotten a little rickety on the South Side of late, and I have questions about whether this pitching staff can sustain over the stretch run. But imagine telling someone in Chicago that this team would be leading the AL Central by 3.5 games in the middle of August. That’s a remarkable turnaround no matter what happens from here, and Will Venable deserves tons of credit for guiding a young (and, at least as far as the pitching goes, outmanned) squad.
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Cincinnati Reds: Terry Francona
Grade: C
As much as it pains me to write, I expected more from the Reds this season. Cincinnati made a second half run to the NL postseason just last year. The front office clearly believes in this young core, but Francona hasn't been able to mold them into a winner, minus that stretch at the end of 2025. Now, with Hunter Greene out for all of 2027, the Reds are left with major questions as to how they proceed. Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart can only take this team so far.
-MP
Cleveland Guardians: Stephen Vogt
Grade: C
Cleveland has seen diminishing returns with Vogt since hiring him ahead of the 2024 season, and it’s fair to wonder when patience might run thin. The Guards have dealt with several crippling injuries to key hitters like Jose Ramirez, Angel Martinez and Chase DeLauter, but that doesn’t excuse how iffy this bullpen has been, and some questionable decisions Vogt has made along the way. If the Guards ever want to be considered more than plucky underdogs in the AL, is Vogt the guy to get him there?
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Colorado Rockies: Warren Schaeffer
Grade: C+
The Rockies need to be graded on a curve. When Schaeffer took this job, he knew Colorado had a lot of work to do, in particular with the roster makeup. The next generation of Rockies stars is nowhere near the majors, and I mean that with no disrespect for Hunter Goodman, who was floated in trade talks near the deadline and is a huge power threat from behind home plate. The Rockies are bad, and they're going to be bad for awhile. How quickly they progress largely depends on the front office, so I feel bad giving Schaeffer anything worse than a C+. There's little he can do to help.
-MP
Detroit Tigers: AJ Hinch
Grade: B
Just a few weeks ago, this grade would’ve been a whole lot lower. But for the second time in three years, it appears they’ve let the Tigers get hot: Detroit is 7-3 so far in August and now sits on the cusp of a Wild Card spot. AJ Hinch seemingly couldn’t find the answers this team needed while Tarik Skubal was around, but now he seemingly can’t miss, once again deploying some good old-fashioned pitching chaos that has the Tigers looking dangerous. He’s still one of the shrewder managers in the sport.
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Houston Astros: Joe Espada
Grade: B+
Just a month or two ago, it seemed like Espada would be fighting for his future, as the Astros were floundering below .500 in the final year of his contract. Now, though, they’re the odds-on favorites to win the AL West, and while that has as much to do with the state of that division as anything, Espada has still navigated a pitching minefield capably.
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Kansas City Royals: Matt Quatraro
Grade: D-
Really, the only reason I’m not giving Matt Quatraro a full F here is because of the unwieldy roster he was given. But even if JJ Picollo could have done more to supplement this roster over the winter, that’s no excuse for this team being this bad. Things have just felt lifeless all year long, and a certain point that has to be a reflection of the manager – which is why Quatraro is firmly on the hot seat unless Kansas City can turn things around.
-CL
Los Angeles Angels: Kurt Suzuki
Grade: D
The writing was on the wall for Suzuki before he even managed a game in the Majors; that’s what happens when you sign a one-year deal with the most dysfunctional organization in baseball. But Suzuki has also looked very much like a rookie this season – how else to explain some of his bullpen decisions, or his refusal not to bring the infield in with one out and a double play in order?
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Los Angeles Dodgers: Dave Roberts
Grade: A-
Dave Roberts receive a lot of flack for riding the coattails of the most expensive roster in baseball to two straight World Series. What those fans don't understand is that it's Roberts' primary job to balance those personalities and keep the clubhouse happy. That includes building camaraderie with players from three different continents. In the dugout, Roberts is a players' manager first and foremost. He's a future Hall of Famer who trusts Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers front office — and why wouldn't he? There's no need to overthink this. Roberts has been great once again.
-MP
Miami Marlins: Clayton McCullough
Grade: B-
This one may seem a bit harsh, given the Marlins payroll and some of the pieces they've traded away over the last few years. However, McCullough was gifted a roster full of young talent. While Miami overachieved last season, finishing just four games back of the final NL Wild Card spot, in 2026 they find themselves in largely the same position. The Marlins are 2.5 back of the Phillies for a playoff spot, despite the emergence of Otto Lopez, and the steady play of Sandy Alcantara on the mound. There's more talent in Miami than general MLB fans might think.
-MP
Milwaukee Brewers: Pat Murphy
Grade: A
Murphy has won multiple NL Manager of the Year awards, and he could add another to his mantle this season. The Brewers always play better than the sum of their parts. It's in their blood (or the beer, I suppose?). Milwaukee traded Freddy Peralta before the season, but Jacob Misiorowski has stepped up and could win the NL Cy Young. Whether it be young retreads like Kyle Harrison or Quinn Priester, or proven veterans like Christian Yelich, Murphy has a way of making this Brewers clubhouse feel like home. The players benefit because of it.
-MP
Minnesota Twins: Derek Shelton
Grade: B+
I don’t fully buy the Twins as a playoff team – and neither does their run differential – but the fact that we’re asking the question at all is a testament to the work Derek Shelton’s done. Despite injuries to Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan and Byron Buxton and a practically non-existent bullpen, Shelton has figured it out, helping the next wave of young talent develop while doing more with less with this pitching staff.
-CL
New York Mets: Andy Green
Grade: C
I can't blame Andy Green for the Mets struggles. That falls on Steve Cohen, David Stearns and the since-fired Carlos Mendoza for putting this team together. However, Green hasn't quite been able to keep his clubhouse in tact. Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor either don't like each other, or avoid the other entirely. When Mendoza left the Mets, they were 13 games under .500. As of this writing, they're .16 games under. Green has managed close to a .500 record, which is saying a lot with this team, especially after their trade deadline fire sale.
-MP
New York Yankees: Aaron Bone
Grade: B+
Until he brings a World Series title back to the Bronx, Aaron Boone will always be the object of Yankees fans’ ire. But it’s hard not to respect the job he’s done with this year’s team, which has exactly two relievers you really trust and has suffered injuries to Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton and others. And yet, New York has weathered the storm, on track to host a Wild Card series even if they don’t catch up with Tampa. Boone deserves credit for massaging this bullpen and juggling a lineup that’s been mostly platoon bats and youngsters for weeks now.
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Philadelphia Phillies: Don Mattingly
Grade: B-
Mattingly's marks would be much higher if he didn't call out Bryce Harper just a few weeks ago, messing with the good vibes in the Phillies clubhouse. This group of players loves playing with one another. It's why Kyle Schwarber returned in the first place. All Mattingly has to do is get out of the way, and he couldn't even do that right. Still, Mattingly has righted the ship after the Phillies fired Rob Thomson. That counts for something.
-MP
Pittsburgh Pirates: Don Kelly
Grade: C
What happened to the Pittsburgh Pirates? The Buccos bought at the trade deadline, dealing for Luke Weaver and a number of other capable relievers. Yet, Weaver has appeared in just one game since then, in part because the Pirates are a dumpster fire. Not all of that can be blamed on Kelly, but he mismanaged a bad bullpen early in the season when the Pirates could have given themselves a cushion in the NL Wild Card standings. Now, their season is all but over.
-MP
San Diego Padres: Craig Stammen
Grade: B+
Clearly, AJ Preller knows something we don't. When the Friars parted ways with Mike Shildt, I was dumbfounded. When the season started and the Padres big bats — Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, respectively — couldn't hit for power, I assumed their season was over. I was wrong, over and over again. Preller bought at the trade deadline, and as a result the Padres are in possession of an NL Wild Card spot and look as dangerous as ever. Stammen deserves credit for staying the course and believing in his front office.
-MP
San Francisco Giants: Tony Vitello
Grade: D
It's been a disastrous year for the Giants and Buster Posey. That series of events started when Posey hired Tony Vitello, previously manager of the Tennessee Volunteers, from the college ranks. Vitello has struggled to adjust to MLB and leading a clubhouse full of professionals. Whether it be untimely pitching changes or failing to get the most out of stars like Rafael Devers and Willy Adames early in the season, Vitello dug his own grave. The only question now is if he'll survive his first season.
-MP
Seattle Mariners: Dan Wilson
Grade: F
I’m not sure what else you can say about a team that came within a game of the World Series last season, added real talent without losing much of anything in the offseason, has stayed pretty healthy and yet still enters play on Friday at a woeful 57-65. And beyond the top-line results, Dan Wilson’s bullpen management becomes a more pressing crisis with every passing day.
-CL
St. Louis Cardinals: Oli Marmol
Grade: B+
Say what you will of Marmol's antics leading up to this season, Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom bought in. Bloom loves how Marmol manages a clubhouse full of young players and gets personally invested in their development. He may be the right man for the right time, after all. The Cardinals are just a few games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, and even should they fall short, there is plenty to be excited about in St. Louis heading into the offseason.
-MP
Tampa Bay Rays: Kevin Cash
Grade: A
Even after losing Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax to the IL, the Rays just keep on winning. They’re on the verge of running away with the AL East and home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs, a truly remarkable feat relative to preseason expectations. Tampa only has three hitters that scare you and have had to patch together the back of their rotation, but Cash has made it work anyway, establishing a brand of baseball built on defense, running the bases and putting pressure on the opponent. It’s hard to ask for anything more.
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Texas Rangers: Skip Schumaker
Grade: B-
Everything about the 2026 Rangers has been … fine, I suppose? They’ve hovered around .500 pretty much all season long, with a disappointing offense and tantalizing but inconsistent pitching. Skip Schumaker has done a good job getting more out of this bullpen than expected, and injuries certainly haven’t helped. Still, it’s hard to get too excited about anything happening here.
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Toronto Blue Jays: John Schneider
Grade: C+
You can only grade a manager so highly when his team enters the year with pennant aspirations and winds up selling at the trade deadline. But I also don’t want to saddle Schneider with all the injuries Toronto has suffered this season, or with his front office’s inability to put more offensive support around Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He’s done a more or less fine job; he managed this summer’s All-Star Game for a reason. Sometimes it’s just not your year.
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Washington Nationals: Blake Butera
Grade: B-
Butera is the youngest manager in all of MLB at just 33 years old. He's young enough to be teammates with some of the Nationals elder statesmen, like Trevor Williams. While the Nationals likely won't make the postseason this year, they're a young team on the come up that opted against trading CJ Abrams at the deadline. Their lineup can be deadly at times — which has Butera written all over it — thanks to Abrams and James Wood. Now, if they can just find the pitching to match...
-MP
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