The 2026 October AL Manager of the Year race
Stephen Vogt leads the American League Manager of the Year race following his 113-point victory with the Cleveland Guardians. The season also features significant Yankees injury struggles involving Clay Holmes and the implementation of the new ABS challenge system.
Vogt leads the American League
Stephen Vogt won the 2025 American League Manager of the Year award in his second full season. He earned 113 points, including 17 first-place votes, to lead the Cleveland Guardians. This victory makes him the second American League manager to win in consecutive seasons, joining Kevin Cash. He remains in elite company alongside Pat Murphy, who also captured a second consecutive award in the National League. You already know the BBWAA uses a weighted system where first-place votes count for five points, second-place votes count for three, and third-place votes count for one. The 2025 voting results show that John Schneider of the Blue Jays earned 10 first-place votes and 11 second-place votes. Dan Wilson of the Mariners received 2 first-place votes and 9 second-place votes. Alex Cora of the Red Sox collected 1 first-place vote and 2 second-place votes. A.J. Hinch of the Tigers took 1 first-place vote and 3 second-place votes. Joe Espada of the Astros earned 1 first-place vote and 3 second-place votes. History shows that Skip Schumaker won the 2023 NL award in his first full season. Terry Francona also earned the AL honor in 2013 and 2016. Joe Girardi won the honor in 2006 despite his 78-84 Florida Marlins fielding a losing record.
Yankees and Mets injury struggles
The Yankees rotation went from a significant strength to a question mark. Cam Schlittler emerged as a Cy Young candidate in his first full season. Ryan Weathers and Will Warren also pitched well. However, the loss of Max Fried to a left elbow bone bruise forces Rodon to carry the load. Rodon returned to a high-octane rotation after a strong campaign last year but struggled with command issues on Saturday. The team also manages injuries to Jasson Dominguez and Luke Weaver. While the Yankees attempt to stabilize a rotation that includes emerging ace Cam Schlittler and talented pitchers Ryan Weathers and Will Warren, they must also contend with the loss of Max Fried to a left elbow bone bruise. Clay Holmes, who transitioned to a starting role after his time as a Yankees closer, broke his leg during a Subway Series game. Spencer Jones hit a 94 mph sinker directly at Holmes in the top of the fourth inning when the Mets trailed 3-0. Aaron Boone offered a blunt response to the injury: "That sucks." Clay Holmes had a 2.39 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings before the incident. The Mets, who remade their roster in the offseason, also face injuries to Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Francisco Alvarez, and Luis Robert Jr. This season, Jazz Chisholm Jr and Fernando Cruz returned from the injured list, but Luke Weaver replaced them after straining his hamstring. Gerrit Cole continues his rehab starts to bolster the 26-player roster.
The new ABS challenge system
The 2026 season introduced the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System. This system allows the batter, pitcher, or catcher to contest calls by tracking the exact location of each pitch relative to the strike zone. Players must initiate the challenge within two seconds of the call. Managers cannot call for these challenges, and players cannot receive direction from the dugout. A successful challenge does not count against the team’s total, but an unsuccessful one costs a team one challenge.
| ABS Challenge Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Initial challenges per team | 2 |
| Time limit for challenge | ~2 seconds |
| Extra inning challenges | 1 per inning |
| Successful challenge cost | 0 |
| Unsuccessful challenge cost | 1 |
If a game enters extra innings and a team has no challenges left, they receive one additional challenge per inning. The 2023 pitch clock previously reduced average game times by 30 minutes. This system follows the 2014 expansion of the video review process, which granted managers one challenge per game. The 2026 ABS system is the biggest on-field rule change since the pitch clock. How many more pitchers will the Yankees lose before the postseason?
