Good morning everyone! Happy Wednesday!
Following Monday’s Rookie of the Year announcements, MLB continued its award season by revealing the 2026 Managers of the Year yesterday.
Athletics skipper Mark Kotsay was not among the contenders for this prestigious prize. He has yet to lead the team to a winning record or a playoff appearance since succeeding Bob Melvin in 2022. If the 2027 season begins as scheduled and the A’s rise from fourth to first in the American League West standings, Kotsay will likely
find himself in the conversation for this award. In contrast, another losing campaign could put his future with the organization in serious doubt.
Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable deservedly won the AL Manager of the Year award, beating fellow finalists Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays and Chad Tracy of the Boston Red Sox. Under Venable’s leadership, the White Sox, who lost 100 or more games in each of the previous three seasons, won 84 games and earned an American League Division Series appearance this year.
In the National League, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy made history by becoming the first manager to win three consecutive Manager of the Year awards. He received more votes than the other two finalists, Philadelphia Phillies manager Don Mattingly and Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss.
Today, attention shifts to the pitchers. Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is the favorite for NL Cy Young Award honors after his record-setting season, with New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler the favorite for AL Cy Young Award honors.
Tomorrow, the Most Valuable Player presentations wrap up MLB award season. Like the Cy Young races, the outcomes appear largely predictable, with Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez destined to win their first MVP awards.
Meanwhile, the general managers meetings in Las Vegas enter day three. There, offseason trade and free agency discussions are beginning to take shape. The meetings represent the first opportunity for the A’s new front-office duo of Taylor Smith and Carlos Castro to meet with executives from around the league and start identifying potential additions to the 2027 roster.
Despite the looming lockout, the MLB offseason is off to its typically slow start, with no major free-agent signings or trades yet. Should the A’s break the ice by becoming the first team to make a move in free agency? If so, which players would best fit their needs?
A’s Coverage:
- A’s First 2 Off-Season Additions Bode Well
- New GM Castro, POBO Smith give glimpse into vision for A’s
- Athletics Hire Cam Castro As General Manager
- Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
- A’s trade RHP prospect to Red Sox for outfielder Eaton
- Three A’s Officially Elect Free Agency
- 28 A’s Minor Leaguers Choose Free Agency
- A’s prospect who was ‘born to hit’ bringing big smiles, intangibles to Fall League
- After standout year, No. 7 prospect Taylor could factor into A’s ‘27 plans
- Q&A: Smith discusses his new role as youngest head of baseball ops in MLB
- Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
- Why A’s Bringing Back Sonny Gray Could Make Sense
- Optics vs. Infrastructure: Taylor Smith’s First Dilemma
- Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As Next President of Baseball Operations
- A’s Max Muncy Undergoes Knee Debridement
- The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
- Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
- Landlord of future A’s Vegas stadium may need to cover additional construction costs
- How technology will shape fan experiences at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark
- Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
- ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
- Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
- How to play in-5 Trivia on the SB Nation app
MLB News & Interest:
- Manager of the Year Awards recognize leaders of surprising upstart, dominant juggernaut
- Tigers’ all-around star and Reds’ throwback slugger named Rookies of the Year
- Here are the Rookie of the Year vote totals
- Padres sign right-hander Ryan Weiss to 1-year deal with option for ’28
- ’27 Rookie of the Year candidates — one from each team
- The case for each 2026 Manager of the Year finalist
- Padres Have Expressed Interest In Tarik Skubal
- Cubs starter Brown undergoes spine surgery, sources say
- 5 teams to watch at GM Meetings as Skubal sweepstakes begin
- Willie Mays to be honored on U.S. postal stamps
- Bob Boone, champ with 1980 Phils and father of Aaron and Bret, dies at 78
- Dodgers hire Pedro Guerrero away from Marlins as new hitting coach
- Hot Stove rumors: Padres, Skubal, Seiya, Morejon, Yanks
- Cardinals, JoJo Romero Have Mutual Interest In Reunion
- Angels To Begin Preliminary Meetings With GM Candidates
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X:
The introductions continue. Now, it is time for Cam Castro and Taylor Smith to begin reshaping the Athletics roster into one capable of competing for the playoffs next season.
This reflects Castro’s newness to the organization. After featuring MLB’s worst pitching staff last season, the Athletics desperately need offseason pitching reinforcements to bolster confidence in their rotation and bullpen.
The A’s Las Vegas ballpark is expected to favor hitters because of its desert location. However, the dome and humidor could help make it more challenging for teams to hit home runs and score runs.
One relief option off the board.
