Hyde named AL Manager of the Year

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) tonight announced that Orioles Manager BRANDON HYDE has been voted the American League Manager of the Year. This marks his first career Manager of the Year honor.

Under Hyde’s leadership, the 2023 Orioles claimed the club’s 10^th AL East title and first since 2014, as well as their first playoff berth since the 2016 AL Wild Card. The Orioles finished the year with an AL-best 101-61 record, their first time claiming the AL’s top seed since 1997. Hyde guided the club to their first 100-win season since 1980 and tied the 1971 team for the fourth-most wins in club history (since 1954), joining National Baseball Hall of Famer EARL WEAVER as the only other O’s skipper to manage a team to a 100-win campaign. He led the Birds to their first back-to-back winning seasons since 2013-14 following last year’s 83 wins.

On August 23 vs. Toronto, Hyde collected his 292^nd managerial win, moving into sole possession of fifth-most in Orioles history. Less than two weeks later, he secured his 300^th win on September 4 at Los Angeles-AL, joining Weaver (1,480), BUCK SHOWALTER (669), PAUL RICHARDS (517), and HANK BAUER (407) as managers with 300 wins in an O’s uniform. He managed his 700^th game with the Orioles on September 22 at Cleveland, joining Weaver (2,541), Showalter (1,353), Richards (1,063), and Bauer (726) as Orioles managers to reach 700 career games.

The Orioles went the entire regular season (52 series) without being swept for the first time in club history, becoming the fourth MLB team since 2000 to accomplish the feat, joining the Atlanta Braves teams of 2022 (51 series), 2004 (52 series), and 2002 (52 series). The Orioles have gone 91 consecutive regular-season series of at least two decisions (no ties) without being swept, the fourth-longest streak in MLB history according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Against AL East foes this year, the Orioles went 32-20 (.615), the seventh-best record against the division in club history. The Birds won the season series against the Blue Jays (10-3), Rays (8-5), Red Sox (7-6), and Yankees (7-6), the first time since 2014 that the O’s won the season series against each of their division opponents. The pitching staff set a single-season franchise record with 1,431 strikeouts, surpassing the mark of 1,248 set in 2016 and matched in 2019. The club’s 48 comeback wins paced the AL and were tied with Cincinnati for the most in MLB. For the first time since 1983, the Orioles secured a winning record in each full calendar month, per the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Orioles were one of the youngest teams in the majors this season. According to Baseball Reference, their average batter age of 27.2 years was the seventh-youngest in the majors, while their average pitcher age of 28.4 years was the 11^th-youngest in the majors. A total of six players made their Major League debuts for Hyde’s Orioles in 2023, including top overall prospects COLTON COWSER, HESTON KJERSTAD, JOEY ORTIZ, GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ, and JORDAN WESTBURG.

The 2023 campaign marked Hyde’s fifth season as Baltimore’s skipper after being named the 20^th manager in team history on December 14, 2018. He was also voted the Sporting News AL Manager of the Year by fellow American League managers for the second consecutive year.

Since 1983, the BBWAA has voted for the top managers in each league. Ballots are submitted prior to the beginning of the Postseason and are based on a weighted points system. Hyde finished ahead of fellow AL finalists Bruce Bochy (TEX) and Kevin Cash (TB). He is the fourth Orioles manager to be named Manager of the Year, joining Showalter (2014), DAVEY JOHNSON (1997), and Orioles Legend and National Baseball Hall of Famer FRANK ROBINSON (1989).

Hyde was one of two Orioles finalists for a BBWAA Award, joining Henderson, who earned AL Rookie of the Year honors. Henderson became Baltimore’s seventh AL Rookie of the Year winner and the first since GREGG OLSON in 1989. This year marks the third time the Orioles have had two national BBWAA Award winners in the same year. In 1989, Olson was named AL Rookie of the Year while Robinson was named AL Manager of the Year. In 1973, Bumbry was named AL Rookie of the Year and JIM PALMER won the AL Cy Young Award.