Stephen Vogt was the only choice for AL Manager of the Year

When it comes to awards season, there is not always a clear and obvious choice for certain awards, but in regards to the American League Manager of the Year Award, the choice was clear and obvious. Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was named the AL's winner for what he was able to accomplish during his first year at the helm.

Vogt guided the Guardians to a 92-69 regular season record, an American League Central division title, and an appearance in the ALCS. But it is not just what he accomplished this past season that proved he was worthy of winning the award, it is what he was tasked with before it even began.

Longtime manager Terry Francona stepped down from his position after the 2023 season, creating the vacancy that would eventually be filled by Vogt. Following in the footsteps of a future Hall of Famer is never easy, but Vogt was able to take over and find instant success, success that caught the attention of those selecting the AL's winner of this particular award.

It is not just the fact that Vogt took over for Francona, it is that the Guardians experienced a down year in 2023 and were not really expected to compete in the AL Central, much less win the division. The general consensus seemed to be that Cleveland would struggle in 2024 and not in any way be relevant with Vogt stepping in for Tito. Clearly, everyone was wrong in their preseason assessment of how things would go on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

This is all before mentioning the amount of adversity the Guardians experienced this past season. Cleveland's starting rotation never had a chance to be fully intact, as Gavin Williams went down with a long-term injury in Spring Training, and Shane Bieber was lost for the year after just two starts. Also worth mentioning here were the struggles of Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen, making everything just a bit more difficult for Vogt to navigate. The pieced-together rotation of the Guardians looked a bit rough at times, but Vogrt was able to make it work and was rewarded for what he was able to accomplish.

In any other year, Kansas City's Matt Quatraro or Detroit's A.J. Hinch could have been runaway winners of the AL Manager of the Year Award. Both the Royals and Tigers were coming off unsuccessful 2023 seasons, and what they did in 2024 was very impressive. But the entirety of what Vogt had to deal with in Cleveland and still finding a way to be successful was viewed as superior to the jobs of Quatraro and Hinch, resulting in winning the AL Manager of the Year Award and deservedly so.