MLB Managers fired 2023 are Buck Showalter, Phil Nevin, and Gabe Kapler. White Sox GM Rick Hahn was let go after 11 unsuccessful seasons.
The end of the regular season has always been the time for executives to rethink their team leadership for the following years. Major league skippers who failed to lead the team into playoffs are usually laid off at this time.
When a team fails to qualify for the playoffs or obtain a better result in the regular season, the fault lies with the decisions taken by the leaders. From draft selection to lineups, the club has to rely on the measures taken by the executives for players to perform their best.
There have been four confirmed changes in the leadership positions of the team, including the Mets, Giants, Angels, and Guardians. Apart from the Guardians skipper Terry Francona who retired voluntarily, the other three were officially fired after posting bad seasonal records.
Apart from these four, the skippers with the most probable chances to get relieved this year are Aaron Boone from the Yankees, Oliver Marmol from the Cardinals Bob Melvin from the Padres, and David Ross from the Cubs.
These are the candidates with the highest odds of being removed before the 2024 season, considering their managerial records over the past few seasons.
Phil Nevin - LA Angels
Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin was fired after two seasons of bad performance. Nevin had posted a managerial record of 119-149 in the last two years.
He started as a third base coach on 21 November 2021 to train the Angels players for 2022. Later, he was promoted as the interim manager when former manager Joe Maddon was fired on 7 June.
The team retained Nevin as the manager for 2023, but he failed to improve the team's performance once again. There had also been a situation when he had been ejected twice in the ninth inning of a single game against the Yankees on 19 April 2023.
After his record of 73-89 with a .451 winning percentage this season, the team decided to remove him on 2 October. The Angels have yet to announce his replacement as they are talking with other available managers on the market.
Mets Manager Fired
Mets manager Buck Showalter was fired on 2 October 2023 after a bad season finish. The decision came a few hours after Showalter decided not to return for 2024.
Skipper Showalter had blown his second season after the team finished with a bad record before the All-Star break. The team fell behind by 18.5 games before the break.
It became much worse till the end as the team posted a 74-87 record for 2023. They had hoped to clinch the division for playoffs this year after Showalter led the team to finish with a .623 win rate over a 101-62 record in the previous season.
After joining the team in 2022, he led a successful first season worthy of winning the Manager of the Year award. However, his second season had left a bad impression on his successful managerial record over the past 32 seasons.
Showalter is the best manager available on the market after being removed by the Mets this year.
Gabe Kapler - San Francisco Giants
Giants manager Gabe Kapler was out of the job in 2023, three games before finishing the regular season. Kapler had a managerial record of 295-248 in four seasons.
The San Francisco Giants had hired Kapler after the former manager Bruce Bochy retired in 2019. He had successfully led the team to their first playoffs since 2012 in the second year of taking the reigns.
They had a win-loss record of 107 by 55 with a .660 winning percentage, leading over the Dodgers in the NL West Division ranks. The following year, they had equal wins and losses for 81, losing their playoff chances again.
Executives discussed the decision for his removal after the SF Giants got eliminated from the playoffs again, with six games remaining in 2023. They had 78 victories and 81 losses till the last game led by Kapler on 27 September.
Bench coach Kai Correa was promoted to the interim manager for the remaining three games, finishing the season with a 79-83 record.
White Sox GM Fired
White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn was fired in 2023 after leading the team for 14 seasons. The Chi Sox had reached the playoffs twice during his tenure.
Former GM Hahn and executive vice president Ken Williams were fired on 23 August by owner Jerry Reinsdorf. The decision was taken with respect to the disappointing records this year.
Owner Reinsdorf gave a statement about realizing the need for change in the top leadership of the baseball department. Manager Pedro Grifol remained stable for the time being even after Chris Getz got appointed as the new GM.
Getz will be managing the role of both the General Manager and Vice President of Baseball Operations for the White Sox Franchise.
Is Red Sox GM Fired?
Boston Red Sox General Manager Brian O'Halloran did not get fired in 2023. O'Halloran was promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations.
He moved up in position, replacing the former Red Sox executive VP Chaim Bloom on 14 September 2023. Bloom was the only executive fired this year after having a bad season finish for multiple years under his tenure.
Productive players such as Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts with high potential records leaving the team had been one of the major reasons for his dismissal. He had only been able to lead the team to one playoff berth over four years, ending with a record of 267 wins by 262 losses.
The team has yet to decide on replacing their GM as Brian was promoted to VP. Red Sox manager Alex Cora is optimistic about the change in leadership as the following GM selection will also consider his opinion.
There will be an official selection through possible managerial candidates available in the baseball market before the next season begins.
Will Aaron Boone Be Fired?
Aaron Boone will not be fired by the New York Yankees in 2023. Yankees General Manager Boone is expected to return to lead the team in 2024.
Boone is counted among the winningest managers of MLB for leading the Yankees for six seasons. He started his executive career with the Yanks in 2018 after Joe Girardi stepped down in 2017.
Boone's managerial record is 509-361, which results in a .585 winning percentage. He is ranked among the top active executives in terms of win rates.
The Bronx Bombers might change their decision before the next season, as the team posted the worst record in 2023. They had an 82-80 record, officially confirmed as the worst in the past 32 seasons.
After finishing his tenure, Boone has a contract till the 2024 season with a club extension option.
Best Available MLB Managers
MLB managers available are Buck Showalter, Phil Nevin, Gabe Kapler, and Terry Francona. Francona is yet to officially retire after leaving the Guardians in 2023.
Pedro Grifol, Oliver Marmol, Craig Counsell, Dusty Baker, and Bob Melvin are other skippers available before 2024. Counsell and Baker are officially free agents after 2023.
They have not signed an extension contract with their existing teams, leaving them available on the market. Similarly, considering their performance this year, Marmol and Melvin have higher chances of getting removed.
Best managers fired in 2023 include Buck Showalter and Gabe Kapler for their extensive experience. Showalter has a managerial record of 1726-1664 since 1992.
MLB Managers
Managerial Records Till 2023
Dusty Baker
2,183-1,862 (.540)
Terry Francona
1,950-1,672 (.538)
Buck Showalter
1,726-1,664 (.509)
Bob Melvin
1,517-1,425 (.516)
Craig Counsell
707-625 (.531)
Gabe Kapler
456-411 (.526)
Oliver Marmol
164-160 (.504)
Phil Nevin
119-149 (.444)
Pedro Grifol
61-101 (.377)
Dusty Baker
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker has become a free agent after the 2023 season. Baker had led the Astros to three World Series games and a trophy in 2022.
Although Baker is rumored to retire after this season, he has yet to officially take his name off the MLB market as of October 2023.
Baker was awarded the NL Manager of the Year thrice over his 30-year career in the managerial position since 1993. He has the highest record of 2,183-1,862 with a .540 winning percentage among the available leaders.
Terry Francona
Terry Francona has recently stepped down as the manager for Cleveland Guardians after 2023. Francona has a managerial record of 1,950-1,672 since 1997.
Francona has a win rate of .538, considering his executive career in MLB with the Phillies, Red Sox, and Guardians. He is rumored to retire but has not officially announced it to MLB.
He had spent his last 11 seasons leading the Guardians and hopes to step down after facing multiple health issues.
Bob Melvin
Melvin is signed with the San Diego Padres for three years since 2021. He is a probable candidate to become free in 2023 after losing playoff contention in 2023.
Melvin has a managerial record of 1,517-1,425 with a .516 win rate, ranking him among the best possible manager for the upcoming season if the Padres release him.
