The top 10 Worst MLB Coaches of All-Time

By Oliver Wiener August 04, 2024 04:53

Photo by AP Photo/ Seth Wenig

The role of a Major League Baseball (MLB) manager is crucial. They make strategic decisions, coach-player dynamics, and see their team through victories or losses. But, not all managers have performed well in those roles. Today, we are going to take a look at the top 10 worst MLB coaches of all time, including their coaching records, major failures, controversies, and much more.

1. Terry Bevington

Coaching Record
Manager at Time of Retirement: Chicago White Sox (1995-97)
Win-Loss Record: 174-199

Terry Bevington was among the few leaders in White Sox history who stunk out loud while making awful decisions regularly. Among the most galling moments of his career was when he came to get a reliever in a game and discovered nobody was ready down there.

2. Stump Merrill

Coaching Record
Years Managed: New York Yankees (1990-91)
Win-Loss Record: 125-153

The time with the Yankees was a disaster for Stump Merrill and ended under an issue of last place. Two years later, his inability to relate with players and coaches within games made him an easy firing.

3. Willie Randolph

Coaching Record
Managed: New York Mets (2005-2008)
Win-Loss Record: 302-253

Arguably, the biggest collapse in MLB history took place under Willie Randolph. The Mets blew a seven-game lead with 17 games remaining in the 2007 season, going just 5-12 down the stretch to allow Philadelphia to claim their first of five consecutive division titles.

4. Alan Trammell

Coaching Record
Managed The Detroit Tigers (2003-2005)
Win-Loss Record: 186-300

Alan Trammell, a Tigers all-time great player, could not duplicate that success as the manager. He had a horrendous 119 losses in 2003, nearly matching modern records for most losses ever.

5. Buddy Bell

Coaching Record
Manager of: Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals
Win-Loss Record: 519-724

Buddy Bell managed for nine seasons with three different teams but never ended a season higher than third place in any division. He has six last-place finishes overall. The fact that Bell could not motivate his teams and build a winning environment earned him the title of an unsuccessful manager.

6. Mickey Callaway

Coaching Record
Teams Managed: New York Mets (2018-2020)
Win-Loss Record: 163-161

While his teams got off to a fast start, they became bogged down by 2019 and started blaming the front office for not doing more in free agency despite major investments.

7. Tony La Russa

Coaching Record
Previous: White Sox (2021-22), Cardinals, Athletics
Win-Loss Record: 2,728-2,365

Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa returned to the dugout with a checkered past that included questionable decisions and a reluctance to embrace many modern baseball strategies, in addition to being one of only four managers ever suspended for conduct on-field.

He garnered increasing criticism for the outdated nature of his managerial style and with all things pitching staff management and in-game tactics despite leading a team to its first division title since 1994.

8. Aaron Boone

Coaching Record
Current Team: New York Yankees (2018-present)
Wins-losses: 426-276 through the end of the 2022 season.

Boone was the hot young manager choice after Giancarlo Stanton put up 59 homers and Aaron Judge had a long-serving ballot. But in recent seasons, the team has been unable to push through in the playoffs and win a postseason game with plenty of talent.

9. Joe Girardi

Coaching Record
Managed: Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies
Win-Loss Record: 1,028-1,004

Joe Girardi's career as a manager has had its ups and downs. It was an attempt to titillate Yankees fans who mock the former Phillies star that he could have a glittering ring just like when he paraded around Yankee Stadium with his trophy after leading them to victory in 2009.

10. Brandon Hyde

Coaching Record
Managed: Baltimore Orioles (2019 - Present)
Record: 156-265 (thru 2023)

Hyde inherited one of the most turbulent rebuilding undertakings in baseball, and while he has certainly faced hardships, his record ultimately seems to speak for a club that is transitioning. The Orioles went over 100 losses in 2021, and Hyde has been questioned about his ability to motivate young players. While the team continues to work through a rebuild, there is yet to be a clear answer as to whether he can guide them back or not.

Few things are more difficult in life than managing a Major League Baseball team, and the men listed have faced this daunting task that much stronger for their experiences. Whether due to catastrophic collapses, controversies, or poor decision-making, these coaches have left a long-lasting impression on the teams they ran—just not for any good reasons. The legacies of these three men will be cautionary tales for future managers about the importance of leadership, baseball strategy, and keeping pace with a rapidly changing game.