Postseason wins, especially for managers, can be hard to come by. But postseason glory is what it’s all about. The entire season leads to October baseball when players become heroes and harness that momentum. At the end of the day, it’s all about the team and who managed them. Certain skippers have had numerous instances of playoff success, including some who are managing teams in the postseason now. Some of those managers are looking to solidify that history, while others have done so. Here, we take a look at the most postseason wins from managers in baseball.
The Most Postseason Managerial Wins
Joe Torre, 84-58
In 29 seasons as a manager, Joe Torre became one of five skippers to win at least four World Series titles. Torre is known for leading the New York Yankees back to the glory days from 1996-2005 and 2006-2007. Before managing the Yankees, Torre never won a game in the postseason. He won 76 playoff games before adding eight more victories with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Torre’s four World Series titles rank tied for fourth all-time behind Joe McCarthy (7), Casey Stengel (7), and Connie Mack (5), and tied with Walter Alston.
Tony La Russa, 71-61
Tony La Russa managed three teams in his career that were all lengthy stints. At 35, La Russa first started at the helm of the Chicago White Sox (1979-1986, 2021-2022), the Oakland Athletics (1986-1995), and the St.Louis Cardinals (1996-2011). La Russa guided the White Sox to the playoffs in 1983, losing to the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series. That was his only taste of the postseason as a big league manager. He went on to win three AL pennants and the 1989 World Series with Oakland before a successful run with St.Louis. La Russa added three National League pennants and two more championships.
Bobby Cox, 67-69
One of the most successful managers in baseball history, Bobby Cox, paved the way for the Atlanta Braves‘ dominance during the 1990s. His first stint managing the Braves would last from 1978 to 1981. But, after a four-year tenure managing the Toronto Blue Jays, his most significant accomplishments came in his second stint with Atlanta. In 1991, he led the Braves to 14 straight National League East division crowns that led to five NL pennants (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996 and 1999). In 1995, he managed the team to a World Series title, a first for the city of Atlanta.
Dusty Baker, 52-47
Dusty Baker was the youngest manager in baseball when he was hired in December 1992 to coach the San Francisco Giants. At the time, his only managerial experience was in the Arizona Fall League, yet the skipper first reached the Fall Classic just a decade later with the Giants. San Francisco eventually lost in seven games to the Los Angeles Angels. 19 years later, he returned with the Houston Astros in 2021, only for Atlanta to take them down. Finally, he won in 2022, becoming the seventh individual to win the World Series as a player and manager in the divisional era since 1969. He joins Alex Cora, Joe Giradi, Davey Johnson, and Mike Scioscia.
Bruce Bochy, 48-33
Before managing the Texas Rangers, Bruce Bochy spent his coaching career in the NL West, leading the San Diego Padres and Giants. With 48 career postseason wins, Bochy ranks fifth in the category. He has guided teams to nine postseason appearances, including six division titles, four pennants, three World Series championships and a Wild Card Series victory. The nine postseason appearances are the ninth-most in Major League history. He is only one of seven individuals to have won four league titles since the League Championship Series round in 1969.
Dave Roberts, 45-38
Like Baker, Dave Roberts also won a World Series as a player with the Red Sox in 2004 and then 2020 as Dodgers manager. His record in the postseason is good for a .542 winning percentage. Among managers with at least 40 games under their belt in the postseason, only Hall Famers Joe McCarthy (.698), Sparky Anderson (.618), Casey Stengel (.587) and Torre (.592) won postseason games at a clip better than Roberts.
Other Postseason Managerial Wins: Terry Francona (44-34), Jim Leyland (44-40), Casey Stengel (37-26)
Photo Credit: © Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
