With the All-Star break upon us, it is time to look at the end-of-season awards, as managers vie for playoff spots and recognition at the end of the year. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a 2024 AL Manager of the Year prediction and pick.

Winning manager of the year is no small feat for a manager. In general, his team must make the playoffs. Only 10 of the 82 times this award has been given has it gone to a manager whose team did not make the playoffs, with only once the team is below .500. That was in 2006 when Joe Girardi won it for the Marlins.

Further, 90 wins is a magic number. Of the last 24 managers to win the award, not counting the Covid season in which only 60 games were played, only three times has the manager's team finished below 9- wins. Still, it does not go to the best team. Of the 82 times this has been awarded, only 12 of the teams have finished with over 100 wins. The defending champion of the award is Brandon Hyde of the Baltimore Orioles.

Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: 2024 AL Manager of the Year

Stephen Vogt: -155

Alex Cora: +230

Matt Quatraro: +950

Brandon Hyde: +1700

Rocco Baldelli: +1700

Scott Servais: +2500

AJ Hinch: +8000

Aaron Boone: +10000

Bruce Bochy: +10000

Joey Espada: +10000

Favorites To Win 2024 AL Manager of the Year

Stephen Vogt is the odds-on favorite to win this award. First, he is in just his second season since retiring from playing, last playing in 2022 for the Oakland Athletics. Further, the Cleveland Guardians manager is replacing a hall-of-fame level manager here in his first year. The Guardians have been great this year. First, they are 58-37, the best record in the American League. They are also on pace for 99 wins this year, well above the 79.5 preseason win total. This was not projected to be a playoff team, projected third in the division, but their consistency has proven them to be a winner. They have four winning streaks of five games or more and have yet to lose more than three games in a row.

The Boston Red Sox were also projected to have a tough year. Their pre-season win total was sitting at 77.5 games, which projected them for last place in the AL East. They currently sit third in the division but find themselves currently occupying a Wild Card spot. Still, a non-division-winning manager has not won in the American LEague since Bob Melvin in 2018. the Red Sox are also on pace for just 90 wins. That would be the lowest non-covid year win total since Paul Molitor was in 2017. Still, Cora has Boston hitting and pitching well this year. They are fourth in the majors in batting average, while sitting fifth in team ERA.

Sleepers To Win 2024 AL Manager of the Year

Matt Quatraro has taken the Kansas City Royals from a team projected to win just 74.5 games to a team currently fighting for the playoffs. The Royals sit two games behind the Red Sox for the last Wild Card spot but also gave the Houston Astros right behind them. Missing the playoffs would most likely eliminate Quatraro. An American League manager who missed the playoffs has not won since Buck Showalter in 2004 with the Texas Rangers. Still, the Royals have been a surprise this year and a strong second half could jump Matt Quatraro into the conversation for the award. Catching the Guardians in the division would all but assure it.

Rocco Baldelli is in a similar situation to Matt Quatraro. His Minnesota Twins would most likely need to catch the Guardians for Baldelli to win the award. Still, the team has gone through a bunch of transitions in the starting rotation from last year and finds themselves in a position to make the playoffs. The Twins are currently in a Wild Card spot and have been playing well going into the All-Star break. They won six of their last ten games going into the break. The Twins were expected to contend though, so simply achieving their expectation of 87 wins will not be enough for Baldelli to take the award for a second time.

Final 2024 AL Manager of the Year Prediction and Pick

Each of the last five times a manager has won this award, in the American League, thye have also won their division. Further, since 2005 only one manager has won the award, finished with under 90 wins, and not won the division. With Brandon Hyde of the Orioles just meeting expectations for the year, and the Astros sneaking up on the Mariners in the division, this award will go to the surprise division winner. That is Stephen Vogt.

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Final 2024 AL Manager of the Year Prediction and Pick:  Stephen Vogt (-155)