Kevin Cash Makes History: American League Manager of the Year for the Second Consecutive Year
Tampa Bay Rays’ helmsman, Kevin Cash, has been recognized as the American League Manager of the Year for the second consecutive season, marking a milestone in baseball history.
Cash joins Bobby Cox as the only managers to achieve this prestigious award in consecutive years. In the voting, he surpassed Scott Servais of the Seattle Mariners and Dusty Baker of the Houston Astros, who finished second and third, respectively.
The recognition comes after leading his team to one of the most successful campaigns in the history of the franchise.
Despite facing numerous challenges, Cash kept his team at the top of the competition.
- In mid-June, the Rays lost their three main starters from the 2020 season: Charlie Morton, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow.
- In addition, they suffered the absence of their best reliever, Nick Anderson, for a large part of the season.
- Key changes also occurred, such as the departure of Diego Castillo and Willy Adames.
Despite these adversities, Tampa Bay achieved a record of 100 victories, the best in franchise history, and secured the title of the American League East.
A Masterful Leadership in the Dugout
Kevin Cash implemented a positive and flexible environment, allowing his players to reach their maximum performance.
Their strategy focused on team depth, utilizing 61 players and 158 different lineups throughout the regular season.
Charlie Montoyo (Blue Jays) finished fourth in the voting, followed by Alex Cora (Red Sox), Tony La Russa (White Sox), and AJ Hinch (Tigers).
Cash played a crucial role in getting the players to accept their roles, even the less conventional ones, and supported them in times of low performance. His tactical ability and leadership have been essential in the recent success of the Rays, consolidating him as one of the best strategists in Major League Baseball.
