Back-to-Back Brilliance: Murphy and Vogt Make Manager of the Year History

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The 2025 MLB awards season delivered an unprecedented historical footnote: for the first time ever, both the American League and National League Manager of the Year awards were won by the same managers in consecutive seasons. Stephen Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians and Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers have officially cemented their place in baseball lore by going back-to-back in the BBWAA voting.

This feature explores the incredible circumstances that led two second-year skippers to repeat an honor typically reserved for managers of surprise-contending teams.

1. Stephen Vogt: The Comeback King

Vogt’s repeat victory in the American League is a testament to resilience, exceptional leadership, and arguably the greatest in-season turnaround in baseball history.

Team	Record	Key Achievement
Cleveland Guardians	AL Central Champions	Overcame a 15.5-game deficit in early July and an 11-game deficit in early September to win the division.

In the American League, the Manager of the Year award is often given to the manager whose team most dramatically exceeds expectations. For the 2025 Guardians, the expectations were shattered not just once, but twice:

The Struggle: The Guardians suffered a 10-game losing streak in the middle of the season and dealt with the loss of key pitchers, including closer Emmanuel Clase, due to non-disciplinary leave amid an MLB investigation. They looked utterly defeated.
The Surge: Under Vogt’s guidance, the team refused to quit, going on an improbable 19-4 run late in the season to erase the massive deficit against their rivals. This comeback, recognized by the Elias Sports Bureau as the largest in-season division/league comeback in MLB history, proved the unshakable faith and commitment Vogt instilled in his clubhouse.

Vogt joins an exclusive club, becoming only the second AL manager to win the award in consecutive seasons, following Kevin Cash (2020 and 2021). More impressively, he and Murphy are the first managers in MLB history to win the award in each of their first two seasons on the job.

2. Pat Murphy: Cementing the Culture

Pat Murphy’s repeat victory in the National League was far less contested, securing 27 of 30 first-place votes and rewarding a season defined by franchise excellence and powerful team chemistry.

Team	Record	Key Achievement
Milwaukee Brewers	NL Central Champions	Finished with an MLB-best 97-65 record, a franchise record for wins.

Murphy’s 2025 campaign solidified the winning culture he began building in his debut season:

The Personnel Shuffle: Murphy had to navigate a roster that traded away key pieces (like closer Devin Williams) and lost others (like shortstop Willy Adames) in free agency, yet the team never missed a beat.
The Record-Breaking Run: After a rocky 0-4 start, the Brewers mounted an incredible surge in the summer, including a franchise-record 14-game winning streak during a dominant 29-4 stretch that launched them past the Chicago Cubs into first place.
An Unprecedented Start: Murphy is now the only manager in Brewers history to take the club to the postseason in his first two seasons, earning 190 total wins—the most by any manager in franchise history over their first two years. His “folksy” and passionate style has clearly resonated with his players and the writers who cast their votes.

Murphy joins former Braves legend Bobby Cox (2004 and 2005) as the only NL managers to win the award in consecutive years.

A Historic Double Repeat

The fact that both managers achieved this rare feat simultaneously highlights a trend in modern baseball: the immediate, profound impact a new managerial voice can have. Both Vogt and Murphy were newcomers to their roles in 2024, and their second-year triumphs prove their inaugural success was no fluke.

Their twin victories in 2025 underscore that successful management is not just about strategic brilliance but about creating a supportive, resilient clubhouse culture that allows teams to thrive, whether battling back from a historic deficit (Vogt) or sustaining an elite performance despite turnover (Murphy).