On Tuesday night, Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable won the American League Manager of the Year award. After helping the White Sox reach the postseason after three-straight seasons of 100+ losses, Venable was a deserving winner.
However, we cannot forget about Kevin Cash. The Tampa Bay Rays’ manager was seeking his third American League Manager of the Year award. While Cash did not win it, his season with the Rays still deserves recognition.
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Kevin Cash’s 2026 Season
Cash, 48, just finished his 12th season with the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite limited expectations and playing in a competitive AL East, Cash led the Rays to the best record in the AL at 98-64. The Rays also reached the World Series for the third time in franchise history and the second time under Cash. The Rays’ path to the Fall Classic was a dominating one. They swept the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series. While the Cleveland Guardians made things a little more difficult in the next, the Rays managed to put the series away in six games. The best AL team in the regular season was headed to the World Series.
Although the Rays ultimately lost the series in five games, it was still a remarkable season.
Cash Is No Stranger to the Award
Kevin Cash is the longest-tenured manager in Major League Baseball, having been hired by the Rays in 2015. While talented players like Randy Arozarena, Willy Adames, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow have left the team over the years, the organization has remained a consistent playoff contender.
Oct 28, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash speaks in a press conference before game five of the 2026 World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Kevin Cash has been the centerpiece of this success, and it shows in his accolades. As mentioned above, Cash has won this award twice before, in 2020 and 2021. Furthermore, he finished in the top three in voting in 2018, 2019, and 2023. He also finished sixth in 2022. 2026 is just the latest instance of him being in the running for the award. This time around, Cash finished second in voting. He received 12 first-place votes (Venable received 15). Cash ended with 98 total points, 51 points ahead of Chad Tracy.
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Rays’ Manager of the Year History
Kevin Cash has won two of the four Manager of the Year awards in Rays’ history. The only other manager to win the award as a Ray won it multiple times- Cash’s predecessor, Joe Maddon. Maddon won the award in 2008 after the Rays made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and reached the World Series. He also won the award in 2011 after the Rays overcame a 9.5-game deficit in September to make the playoffs, clinching on the last day of the season on a classic home run by Evan Longoria.
The Last Word
Kevin Cash is no stranger to this award. The Rays are no stranger to great regular seasons and playoff runs. However, Cash and the Rays won’t be satisfied with just great season and consideration for the Manager of the Year award. They may not even be satisfied if Junior Caminero wins AL MVP in a few days. The Rays are still seeking their first title and will hope to finish the story in 2027.
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Furthermore, if the Rays are in the thick of things once again next season, do not be surprised if we having the same conversation this time next November. We may even be talking about him winning his third award. Time will tell.
Main Photo: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
