7 Worst Managers in MLB History
Watching a manager completely lose the plot, especially when the roster actually had potential, is like watching a car crash. It’s hard to see, but you just can’t stop watching. The reasons are usually the same; they either couldn’t handle the pressure, made baffling decisions, or stuck around way too long.
Here’s a look at the MLB skippers who turned dugouts into disaster zones.
Phil Regan
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Despite managing a star-laden Orioles roster in 1995, Phil Regan couldn’t push the team past mediocrity, finishing 71–73. The following year, Baltimore made the ALCS under Davey Johnson. That lone season was Regan’s only MLB managerial stint, which ended with more questions than accomplishments.
Manny Acta
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Manny Acta managed the Nationals and Indians without a single winning season. His best shot came in 2011 when Cleveland started strong, only to collapse and finish 80–82. In six total seasons, Acta compiled a 372–518 record. Though respected as a coach, his head management days fizzled fast.
Jerry Royster
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After inheriting a struggling Brewers team in 2002, Jerry Royster couldn’t reverse their fortunes. Milwaukee finished that year with a dismal 53–94 record under his guidance. Though he brought energy to the dugout, his lone full season as manager didn’t yield results and ended his MLB managerial career after just 146 games.
Buddy Bell
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Buddy Bell racked up over 700 managerial losses across three teams, including the Royals and Rockies. Only once did his team finish above .500. Bell’s leadership in the dugout never caught traction and left behind a disappointing .418 career winning percentage.
David Bell
Credit: Wikipedia
David Bell lasted six seasons in Cincinnati without winning a playoff series. Despite reaching the postseason in the 2020 shortened campaign, the Reds often underperformed under his leadership. His firing in 2024 came after a frustrating stretch of near-misses, questionable lineup calls, and bullpen management that drew growing criticism.
Hal McRae
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Hal McRae had mixed results managing the Royals and Devil Rays. His 1993 Kansas City team posted a winning record, but his Tampa Bay squads lost 196 games across two seasons. His fiery temperament and post-game tirades sometimes overshadowed his decision-making in the dugout.
Brad Mills
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Brad Mills was tasked with leading the Astros during their painful rebuild, but the results were grim. Over three seasons, Houston lost 88, 106, and 107 games, and finished last each year. He compiled a brutal 171–274 record.
Tony Peña
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Tony Peña’s promising managerial start peaked in 2003 when he won AL Manager of the Year. However, the Royals soon regressed, and Peña resigned in 2005 amid a 30–90 free fall. Though later successful in international competition, his MLB record of 198–285 keeps him in the basement tier.
Al Pedrique
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Al Pedrique was thrown into the fire in 2004 when he took over a Diamondbacks team already in shambles. Arizona went 22–61 under his leadership and lost 111 games total that season. Despite minor league success later on, his brief MLB stint left a lasting impression for all the wrong reasons.
Ned Yost
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Although Ned Yost won it all in 2015, his path there was anything but smooth. He was fired by the Brewers during a playoff push in 2008 and often stuck to unpopular lineup choices. His World Series title masks a career managerial record below .500 over more than 2,500 games.
Russ Nixon
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Russ Nixon oversaw some of the roughest years in Braves history and finished last in each of his three full seasons. Despite having future aces like John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, Nixon couldn’t build momentum. His lifetime .400 winning percentage places him among the least effective long-term MLB managers.
Mike Hargrove
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Mike Hargrove found postseason success in Cleveland, but his time with the Orioles never clicked. From 2000 to 2003, Baltimore posted four straight losing seasons. His rigid, methodical style clashed with a franchise desperate for change and ended with a 275–372 record that fell far short of expectations.
Alan Trammell
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Detroit icon Alan Trammell returned to manage his former team, but couldn’t lift it from rock bottom. The 2003 Tigers lost 119 games, one of the worst seasons ever. Trammell compiled a 186–300 record in Detroit and was replaced by Jim Leyland, who immediately led the club to a pennant.
Jeff Torborg
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Jeff Torborg’s run with the Marlins ended just before the team’s improbable 2003 World Series win. He managed 2002 and part of 2003 before being replaced. Under his watch, the Marlins were flat and uninspired, and his exit became the turning point that ushered in a title run.
Rene Lachemann
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As the first skipper in Florida Marlins history, Rene Lachemann led the expansion club through growing pains. He posted a 221–285 record from 1993 to 1996. Though not all the struggles were his fault, Lachemann couldn’t survive the pressure once expectations outpaced his ability to deliver results.