- Joe McCarthy is the best manager in MLB history.
- Connie Mack has the most wins of all time.
- Bruce Bochy has won four World Series.
The best managers in MLB history were a factor to consider when analysing the baseball betting markets.
An elite manager makes smart in-game decisions, motivates their players, and remains calm when the pressure is at its highest.
Earning a place on this list wasn’t as simple as identifying the MLB betting favourites for Manager of the Year. I took into account win-loss records, playoff success, and how frequently they overachieved compared to preseason expectations.
15 Best Managers in MLB History, Ranked
| Rank | Manager | Team(s) |
| 1 | Joe McCarthy | Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox |
| 2 | Casey Stengel | Brooklyn Dodgers, Boston Bees, New York Yankees, New York Mets |
| 3 | Bruce Bochy | San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers |
| 4 | John McGraw | Baltimore Orioles, New York Giants |
| 5 | Connie Mack | Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Athletics |
| 6 | Walter Alston | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 7 | Joe Torre | New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 8 | Bobby Cox | Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays |
| 9 | Sparky Anderson | Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers |
| 10 | Terry Francona | Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland, Cincinnati Reds |
| 11 | Dusty Baker | San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros |
| 12 | Tony La Russa | Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals |
| 13 | Bucky Harris | Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees |
| 14 | Leo Durocher | Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros |
| 15 | Tommy Lasorda |
Who Are the Greatest Major League Baseball Managers Ever?
1. Joe McCarthy
A seven-time World Series winner and with the best winning percentage in MLB history of managers to take charge of 1,000 games, Joe McCarthy was an obvious selection for the top spot on this list.
2. Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel is tied with McCarthy for the most World Series titles in MLB history. Stengel also has the joint-most pennants and has the all-time lead in World Series games won with 37.
3. Bruce Bochy
Only three managers have won more World Series titles than Bruce Bochy.
After notching four postseason appearances with the San Diego Padres, Bochy won three titles in five years with the San Francisco Giants and led the Texas Rangers to a Fall Classic triumph in his first year as manager.
4. John McGraw
With 10 World Series appearances, John McGraw is tied with Stengel for the most all-time.
He has the third-most regular-season wins and has the highest winning percentage of the top nine in that category.
5. Connie Mack
After being player/manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates for three seasons, Connie Mack spent half a century in charge of the Philadelphia Athletics.
Mack leads all managers in regular-season wins and won five World Series during his tenure.
6. Walter Alston
With seven pennants and four World Series, Walter Alston won 2,040 games during his 23 years in charge of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
7. Joe Torre
Joe Torre led the New York Yankees to four World Series in five years between 1996 and 2000.
Torre won another pennant in 2001 and reached the Fall Classic for a sixth time in 2003. Only four managers in big-league history have more regular-season wins.
8. Bobby Cox
Fourth all-time in wins, I have Bobby Cox at eighth because he only won one World Series.
Cox oversaw a dominant Atlanta Braves team throughout the 1990s, but failed to convert regular-season success into playoff glory.
9. Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson led the Cincinnati Reds’ Big Red Machine to back-to-back titles in the 1970s. Anderson also spent 17 years as manager of the Detroit Tigers, including a World Series win in 1984.
10. Terry Francona
Starting his managerial career, Terry Francona endured a difficult few years with the Philadelphia Phillies before winning the World Series in his first year as manager of the Boston Red Sox.
Francona has the third-most wins among active managers and won four division titles while managing Cleveland.
11. Dusty Baker
A three-time Manager of the Year, Dusty Baker is tied for fourth all-time in postseason wins. Baker had to wait until the 25th year of his managerial career to win the World Series after losing the Fall Classic in 2002 and 2021.
12. Tony La Russa
Mack is the only manager with more regular-season wins than Tony La Russa.
La Russa is also second in playoff wins behind Torre, having led the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals to a total of six pennants.
13. Bucky Harris
Bucky Harris won the World Series in his first season as a manager. He reached the Fall Classic in his second year, but had to wait another 22 years before he next led a team in a World Series game.
14. Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher had only three seasons with a winning percentage below .500 between 1939 and 1955.
He won only one World Series, but his career winning percentage of .540 is better than those of Torre, Francona, and La Russa.
15. Tommy Lasorda
Tommy Lasorda, a two-time Manager of the Year, guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to four pennants and two titles.
Despite managing in 21 big-league seasons, Lasorda is 24th in regular-season wins.
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