ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 01: Manager Kevin Cash #16 of the Tampa Bay Rays walks on the field during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field on September 01, 2021 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash was named the AL Manager of the Year for the second-consecutive season.
The Tampa Bay Rays have had a great start to this week in the MLB offseason. On Monday, outfielder Randy Arozarena was named the American League’s Rookie of the Year. 24 hours later, another award is heading down to Tampa Bay.
Kevin Cash was named the AL Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. He is now the first person to win the AL Manger of the Year award in back-to-back years.
The Rays finished with an AL-best 100 wins in 2021, leading to them facing off the winner of the Wild Card game in the Divisional Round. Tampa did not make it to the World Series for the second-consecutive year like many expected them to, as they were eliminated in four games by the red-hot Boston Red Sox.
NL Manager of the Year: Full ballot and results
Cash won the award by receiving 19 of 30 first-place votes from members of the BBWAA.
Scott Servais of the Seattle Mariners earned the second-most first-place votes with five. Servais managed the Mariners to a 90-72 record, and they were in postseason contention entering the final day of the regular-season.
Dusty Baker finished third on the ballot after receiving eight third-place votes. Baker managed the Houston Astros to their third World Series appearance in five years.
Charlie Montoya of the Toronto Blue Jays finished fourth with three first-place votes. Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora placed fifth on the ballot with three second-place votes. Tony La Russa of the Chicago White Sox finished sixth with four second-place votes. Detroit Tigers skipper A.J. Hinch finished seventh by receiving three third-place votes.
The full results can be found here.