When an MLB team doesn’t live up to expectations, the responsibility for the team underachieving often falls to the manager. So far in the 2022 MLB season, we have seen plenty of instances where poor performance on the field and a lower place in the standings than was expected has cost a manager his job.
Here is a list of MLB managers fired during the 2022 season
After the Toronto Blue Jays parted ways with manager Charlie Montoyo on Wednesday, the number of MLB managers who have lost their jobs so far in the 2022 season stands at three. That’s a number that will likely rise after the All-Star Game break, and we will update this list below with any new names when conditions warrant.
Joe Girardi, Philadelphia Phillies, fired on June 3
The Phillies were 22-29 when Girardi became the first MLB manager to be fired during the 2022 season. That record was the worst start for Philadelphia since the 2017 campaign. Bench coach Rob Thomson was named as the team’s interim manager, a title he still holds today.
Changing managers seemed to ignite the Phillies, who are 24-13 with Thomson at the helm and currently one game out of a National League Wild Card spot heading into Wednesday’s action.
Joe Maddon, Los Angeles Angels, fired on June 7
The Angels were in the midst of a 12-game losing streak when Maddon was relieved of his duties. Third base coach Phil Nevin was tabbed as the team’s interim manager for the rest of the 2022 season after Maddon’s dismissal. The move, however, has not helped the Angels, who enter Wednesday with a 38-50 record and 20 games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West standings.
Charlie Montoyo, Toronto Blue Jays, fired on July 13
The Blue Jays are 46-42 and have the final AL Wild Card spot heading into Wednesday, but the team has certainly not met expectations this season.
While Toronto has underperformed, the AL East has also been a much tougher division than perhaps was anticipated before the start of the season. Entering Wednesday, all five teams in the division were at or above .500 overall, including the New York Yankees, a team that holds the best record in baseball at 61-26.
As MLB insider Jeff Passan pointed out in this tweet, “Bad losses and questions in the clubhouse about leadership were a devastating combination” for Montoyo.
Bench coach John Schneider was named the interim manager for the Blue Jays, who finish a home series with the Phillies on Wednesday night before a four-game set against the Royals in Toronto to close out the pre-All-Star Game slate.
Chris Woodward, Texas Rangers, fired on August 15
After a massive offseason spending spree, the Texas Rangers simply couldn’t compete against American League teams, entering August 15 with a 51-63 record and 23.0 games behind their Lone Star State rivals, the Houston Astros, in the AL West.
One of the biggest issues for Woodward and the Rangers was the team’s 6-24 record in one-run games with him on the bench.