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MLB: The pressure is on for most-recently hired mangers

By Clint Manry

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 08: Manager Luis Rojas #19 of the New York Mets in action against the Houston Astros during a spring training baseball game at Clover Park on March 8, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Mets defeated the Astros 3-1. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 08: Manager Luis Rojas #19 of the New York Mets in action against the Houston Astros during a spring training baseball game at Clover Park on March 8, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Mets defeated the Astros 3-1. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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MLB Manager Ron Roenicke of the Boston Red Sox (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
MLB Manager Ron Roenicke of the Boston Red Sox (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /

For some of MLB’s new managers, the pressure is extremely high. Here’s why:

Of the ten teams that have recently hired a new manager, all but three are expected to at least compete for a wild card bid in 2020, meaning most of these new skippers won’t be allowed very much time to get settled into their new gig.

(expected contenders in bold)

  • Philadelphia Phillies
  • Los Angeles Angels
  • Kansas City Royals
  • San Francisco Giants
  • Chicago Cubs
  • Pittsburgh Pirates
  • San Diego Padres
  • New York Mets
  • Boston Red Sox
  • Houston Astros

And it’s not like these ten teams have been deprived of success on the field lately. Looking at the group of newly-hired managers, half of them will be taking over teams that have played in at least one of the last four postseasons (some of them with multiple playoff appearances).

light. Related Story. SIX MLB players who could hit .400 in 2020

Teams with a playoff appearance (since 2016)

  • Giants (2016)
  • Cubs (2016, 2017, 2018)
  • Mets (2016)
  • Red Sox (2016, 2017, 2018)
  • Astros (2017, 2018, 2019)

So that spurs the original question: when MLB games finally start in 2020, which new manager finds themself in the hottest seat?

In the following slides, I’ve taken all ten managers and grouped them according to how “hot” I believe their seats are on Day 1 of the coming 2020 season — ordered from coolest to hottest. I decided to combine some of the managers into groups, for there are several I believe to be in rather similar situations, though obviously no two jobs are the same.

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