The National League Manager of the Year award is an annual honor presented by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) to the manager adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success in the National League during the regular season. This prediction market specifically concerns the winner for the 2026 Major League Baseball season. The award has been given since 1983, with voting conducted by two BBWAA members from each NL city at the season's conclusion. Winners receive the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Memorial Baseball Award, named for MLB's first commissioner. The market resolves based on the official MLB announcement, typically made in November following the World Series. Interest in this market stems from the award's recognition of strategic leadership, in-game decision-making, and the ability to maximize a team's performance, often under challenging circumstances like injuries or low preseason expectations. Bettors analyze team trajectories, managerial reputations, and historical voting patterns to forecast the winner. The 2026 season will be the first under MLB's expanded 32-team structure following the addition of franchises in Nashville and Salt Lake City, introducing new managerial dynamics and potentially altering competitive balance within the league.

Historical Context

The Manager of the Year award was first presented in 1983, with Tommy Lasorda of the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the inaugural NL honor. For its first two decades, the award frequently recognized managers of first-place teams. A shift occurred in the 2000s, with voters increasingly favoring managers who guided teams to unexpected success. For example, Jack McKeon won in 2003 after taking over the Florida Marlins mid-season and leading them to a World Series title. In 2008, Lou Piniella won with the Chicago Cubs, a first-place team, but the trend toward 'surprise' managers solidified afterward. Between 2009 and 2023, only two NL winners (Bud Black in 2010, Dave Roberts' Dodgers teams) came from clubs that had won their division the previous year. The most recent winners, like Skip Schumaker (2023 Marlins) and Buck Showalter (2022 Mets), exemplify this pattern, with Schumaker winning for a playoff run with a modest payroll and Showalter for a 101-win season that followed a 77-win campaign. The award's history shows a clear voter preference for narrative-driven outcomes, rewarding overachievement relative to preseason expectations more than simply managing a powerhouse team to its predicted finish.

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