2025 MLB Manager Of The Year Award Odds and Predictions

The MLB regular season is here, and betting markets are already open for the 2025 Manager of the Year race in both leagues.

This award is one of the tougher MLB futures markets to predict, as it often rewards managers who exceed expectations rather than the ones who come into the season with the best rosters. Below, we break down the top names in the running this season with updated odds and predictions.

If you’re looking for more betting coverage, check out our World Series odds and predictions or compare sports betting sites before placing your wager.

Who Won The American League MOTY?

In 2024, Cleveland Guardians skipper Stephen Vogt won AL Manager of the Year after leading the team to an AL Central title in his first year on the job. Despite low preseason expectations, Vogt guided the Guardians into the playoffs on the heels of 92 regular-season wins.

Who Won The National League MOTY?

The NL Manager of the Year in 2024 was Pat Murphy, who helped the Milwaukee Brewers defy the odds and snag a playoff spot despite being projected as a mid-tier team. Murphy was in his first year at the helm of the Brewers after managing the San Diego Padres earlier in his career.

MLB Manager Of The Year Odds

Check out the latest MLB odds for the AL and NL Manager of the Year Award

The AL market is relatively tight, with seven managers sitting at +1000 or better. Dan Wilson opens as the favorite in his first full season with Seattle, while veteran leaders like Bruce Bochy and Kevin Cash are always in the mix. In the NL, Terry Francona’s move to Cincinnati makes him the early favorite, but Chicago’s Craig Counsell and Pittsburgh’s Derek Shelton aren’t far behind. For more insight from the top handicappers in the business, keep reading our award predictions below.

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AL Manager Of The Year Odds

• Dan Wilson (+400)
• Alex Cora (+450)
• Kevin Cash (+550)
• Rocco Baldelli (+600
• John Schneider (+700)
• A.J. Hinch (+900)
• Mark Kotsay (+1000)
• Bruce Bochy (+1000)
• Ron Washington (+1000)

Dan Wilson (SEA) +400

Wilson takes over full-time in Seattle after serving as interim manager following Scott Servais’ firing late last season. The Mariners are loaded with young talent and pitching depth, and if they can break through in a competitive AL West, Wilson could easily walk away with the award.

Seattle’s pitching staff is the best in baseball, but the offense is another story. The Mariners’ brass didn’t do anything to upgrade what was a very weak lineup over the winter, so expect plenty of low-scoring games in the PNW this summer.

Of course, the AL West is a winnable division. The Houston Astros have dominated this division over the past decade, but they’re no longer a juggernaut following some major offseason defections. The Texas Rangers figure to be in the mix, as well, but Seattle looks like a legitimate threat to challenge Houston’s reign.

If they do win the division, and chase after the AL Pennant, then Wilson figures to be among the frontrunners to take home AL Manager of the Year.

Alex Cora (BOS) +450

Alex Cora’s Red Sox are one of the MLB Teams flying under the radar this season, but if Boston hangs around in a tough AL East, he’ll be in the conversation. He’s respected around the league and has already won this award once before.

The Red Sox had a very active winter, adding proven talent like Alex Bregman, Garrett Crochet, and Walker Buehler to an up-and-coming roster. Boston has a trio of high-end prospects likely to debut this season, which gives Cora a fun mix of veterans and young talent with which to work.

The AL East is an awfully tough division, however. The Red Sox will have to overtake the New York Yankees to win it, while all of the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays also have postseason aspirations. If Boston does ultimately win the East, it’s safe to assume Cora will get his fair share of momentum come awards season.

Kevin Cash (TB) +550

Kevin Cash is one of the most consistent managers in baseball. Tampa Bay is always competitive regardless of payroll or injuries, and if they outperform expectations yet again, voters will take notice.

The Rays are in for an interesting season. Tampa Bay has a long and storied history of defying preseason expectations, but this club finished just 80-82 a season ago. Ace Shane McClanahan has already landed on the injured list, and injuries to the rotation ultimately doomed their chances in 2024.

The offense should be a bit more productive – especially now that they’re playing in a more hitter-friendly minor-league park due to damage at Tropicana Field caused by a recent hurricane – but it’s hard to have a ton of faith in the Rays to keep up with teams like New York, Boston, and Baltimore in a stacked AL East.

Cash will be a prime Manager of the Year candidate in the AL if the Rays can keep pace, but I’m highly skeptical. I’d fade him at his current +550 odds to win it.

Rocco Baldelli (MIN) +600

Rocco Baldelli has quietly led the Minnesota Twins to multiple division titles, but a deeper playoff push or surprise dominance in the Central would give him his 2nd MOTY award.

Unfortunately, his Twins are off to a tough start this season. Minnesota is 0-4 to begin 2025, including a rough 9-0 loss to the lowly Chicago White Sox to cap off the month of March. The Twins’ roster has more than enough talent to overcome an early stumble, especially considering the AL Central figures to be among baseball’s weakest divisions.

I’m not fully sold on Minnesota’s rotation beyond Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez, and injury-prone stars like Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis, and Carlos Correa make the Twins a risky bet to put together a dominant full season. All things considered, Baldelli is another fade for me at his +600 odds.

Bruce Bochy (TEX) +1000

The 2023 World Series champ might be underrated here. If the Rangers bounce back after failing to qualify for the playoffs in ’24, Bruce Bochy could add another piece of hardware to his legendary resume.

Texas had an active winter, adding the likes of Joc Pederson and Jake Burger to a lineup in need of some extra oomph around Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, and Adolis Garcia. Garcia is in need of a bounce-back season of his own after scuffling last summer, but Seager is a perennial MVP candidate if he can stay healthy.

Those health concerns also extend to the pitching staff. We know Jacob deGrom is an ace when healthy, but he hasn’t been healthy very often over the last half-decade. Tyler Mahle is back after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and it’s easy to forget he was a steady rotation presence for the Twins and Reds prior to his injury. Texas also has a couple of young potential aces in Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker in the rotation to begin the season, so this team appears to be on the rise.

At +1000, you’re getting amazing value on one of the best managers of all time to win the award. I’m all about Bochy at these odds.

Bet: Bruce Bochy (+1000)

NL Manager Of The Year Odds

• Terry Francona (+400) 
• Craig Counsell (+500) 
• Derek Shelton (+600) 
• Dave Roberts (+700) 
• Bob Melvin (+800) 
• Dave Martinez (+900) 
• Torey Lovullo (+900)
• Brian Snitker (+1000)
• Carlos Mendoza (+1200)

Terry Francona (CIN) +400

Now managing the Cincinnati Reds, Terry Francona brings championship pedigree and instant credibility. If Cincinnati takes a step forward and contends in the Central, he’ll be a strong candidate.

Francona drew plenty of praise for his previous work with the Red Sox and Guardians, and it’ll be interesting to see him managing on the senior circuit once again. Francona took a year off for personal reasons last year, and many were surprised to see him get back in the game this offseason by agreeing to join the Reds.

The NL Central is certainly a winnable division, especially given how much the preseason favorite – the Brewers – have struggled to begin the campaign. The Reds do have a few intriguing young starting pitchers in Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Brady Singer, while the offense could be a work in progress.

Still, if the Reds manage to punch a postseason ticket, Francona will generate some enthusiasm from voters.

Craig Counsell (CHC) +500

Counsell made waves by moving from Milwaukee to the rival Cubs. If he can lead Chicago back to the postseason, voters may reward the high-profile switch.

The Cubs were another busy team this winter, adding Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly to a roster that already included a solid mix of proven veterans and improving young players. Michael Busch was a breakout star last season in his first with the team, while Pete Crow-Armstrong will get a chance to man center field on a daily basis.

Chicago has a chance to make some serious noise in a weak division, and I like their chances of earning a trip to the postseason for the first time since 2020. If Counsell does lead the Cubbies to a division crown, I like his chances of taking home some extra hardware at the +500 odds.

Derek Shelton (PIT) +600

Derek Shelton got some love last season for keeping the Pirates competitive early last season, but they quickly fell off after that. If Pittsburgh makes a real leap in 2025, he could be a surprise winner.

I’m not a huge fan of his chances, however, as the Pirates are another team that looks like they’re at least a year away from legitimate contention. Paul Skenes is a legitimate top-of-the-rotation ace and Cy Young contender, but I’m not sure the Buccos will put enough runs on the board to win consistently, even in a vulnerable NL Central.

I’d rather bet on Counsell at +500 than Shelton at +600.

Bob Melvin (SF) +900

Now with the San Francisco Giants, Bob Melvin brings experience and a reputation for overachieving. San Francisco is a dark horse team, and he’s the type of manager who could rally the clubhouse.

Melvin has a track record of getting the most out of his rosters, even if his rosters aren’t laden with talent. Anyone other than the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers winning the NL West would be the shock of a lifetime, but the division looks fairly likely to generate at least one other playoff team.

The Giants have had trouble attracting star talent via free agency in recent years, but they did add Willy Adames and Justin Verlander this offseason. Whether Verlander has much left in the tank remains to be seen, but the addition of Adames should bolster a lineup that struggled consistently a season ago.

Simply qualifying for the postseason would be a job well done for this team, so Melvin’s +900 Manager of the Year odds do offer some upside.

Torey Lovullo (ARI) +1000

Torey Lovullo led the D-Backs to a World Series appearance in 2023, but they took a step back last season. If Arizona stays relevant in the NL West, he’ll be firmly in the mix for the award.

The Diamondbacks are another team built to win now. Arizona splashed the cash to sign Corbin Burnes as a free agent this offseason, and he’ll headline a rotation that already features a few talented arms in Zac Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Brandon Pfaadt.

Arizona has enough pitching to potentially give a team like the Dodgers a sweat in a short playoff series. They have to get into October first, of course, and I do think they’re capable of it. The D-Backs have the 2nd-best playoff odds of any NL West team, and I don’t think they’ll have to overtake LA in the division for Lovullo to get some love from Manager of the Year voters.

Bet: Craig Counsell (+500)

MLB Manager Of The Year Winners

The following is a list of the most recent MLB Manager Of The Year winners: