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Don Mattingly of the Miami Marlins was voted 2020 National League Manager of the Year. In his fifth season at the helm in Miami, Mattingly, 59, guided the Marlins to a 31-29 record in of the shortened regular season of 60 games. schedule and a second place in the NL East.
It was good enough for a spot in the extended playoffs. Once there, the Marlins upset the Cubs in the Wild Card Round before falling to the Braves in the NLDS.
2020 marked the Marlins’ first victorious season since 2009 and first place in the playoffs since 2003. What makes these achievements all the more striking is that the Marlins had a dismal 57-105 season in 2019. In terms of year-over-year wins, Mattingly and the Marlins in 2020 made one of the biggest improvements in MLB history.
The COVID-19 outbreak that plagued the Marlins early in the season further complicated Mattingly’s job. Eighteen Miami players would ultimately test positive. Additionally, 18 Marlins players made their big league debuts in 2020, and across the front office they made 174 roster moves.
For Mattingly, this is the first time he’s won the award in his 10-year managerial career. He came closest in 2013, when he finished second in the poll as manager of the Dodgers. David Ross of the Cubs and Jayce Tingler of the Padres were the other finalists for the NL Manager of the Year award this season.
In all, nine of the 15 National League managers this season received first, second and / or third place votes for manager of the year this season. Mattingly won 20 of the 30 first place votes. Tingler was second and Ross third.
Mattingly becomes the third Marlins manager to win the award, joining Joe Girardi in 2006 and Jack McKeon in 2003.
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