ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Following another division title and one of the best regular seasons for the Tampa Bay Rays, Kevin Cash has been named AL Manager of the year for the second year in a row.
Cash won the award during last year's pandemic-shortened season after leading the Rays to the franchise's second World Series appearance. And while the team was unsuccessful in recapturing last year's magical run, this season was just as memorable.
Tampa Bay won a franchise-best 100 games in 2021, winning their division for the second year in a row. The Tampa native was able to keep a low-budget, data-driven team in championship contention all season, utilizing the roster's strong defense and speed, while also having a rotating cast of pitchers on the mound.
The last Rays manager to win the award was the man who held the position prior to Cash. Joe Madden won two Manager of the Year awards in 2008 and 2011. Cash is three seasons shy of tying Madden as the team's longest tenured manager but has seen the same level of success in his time.