Three Reasons Why Miami Marlins' Skip Schumaker is a Dark Horse Manager of the Year Contender

The Open Contenders Pool

Braves skipper Brian Snitker is likely the frontrunner for these honors, with Dave Bell of the Reds, Dave Roberts of the Dodgers, and Gabe Kapler of the Giants also in the mix. 

However, most of these managers lead clubs who had legitimate postseason aspirations at the beginning of the season. Snitker and Roberts were clear World Series favorites. Kapler’s Giants have also proven to be fringe contenders. 

However, when the season began, the Marlins and Reds were both in the bottom third of postseason contenders. Both have far exceeded these expectations. 

If one of these clubs does indeed capture a spot in the 2023 playoff field, that team's manager should move near the top of the list of Manager of the Year honors. This advancement is one that Schumaker and his team are in a prime position to make. 

After bolstering their team with the aforementioned deadline acquisitions and re-adding future ace Eury Perez to their rotation, Miami should be considered one of the favorites to play October baseball. This clearly makes Schumaker a not-so-dark-horse contender for Manager of the Year.