Open Day of the 2021 MLB Season is less than a month away and sports betting fans are getting excited. Leading up to April 1, bettors will have a wide variety of MLB specials to bet on, including which managers will be the best in their respective league.
BetOnline is listing Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo as the favorite to win the American League Manager of the Year Award at +700. Meanwhile, they have Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker as the National League Manager of the Year frontrunner at +700 too.
MLB Odds: AL Manager of the Year
Odds via BetOnline as of Wednesday, March 10
- Charlie Montoyo (Blue Jays) +700
- Aaron Boone (Yankees) +750
- Rocco Baldelli (Twins) +800
- Alex Cora (Red Sox) +900
- Dusty Baker (Astros) +900
- Joe Maddon (Angels) +900
- Bob Melvin (Athletics) +1000
Last season was only Charlie Montoyo’s second season as a manager. In a shortened 2020 season, the Blue Jays went 32-28, which was on pace for 86 wins in a 162-game season. Montoyo managed to coach the Blue Jays into a Wild Card appearance in the postseason where they were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays.
As the +700 to win AL Manager of the Year, it’s clear that sportsbooks like BetOnline are expecting big things from Montoyo in 2021. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette should be improved. The team signed George Springer, Kirby Tates and Marcus Semien to be able to compete. Should the Blue Jays improve their record and make the MLB Playoffs, Montoyo could walk away as the AL Manager of the Year.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone has the second-best odds in the AL at +750. BetOnline is already projecting the Yankees to win 95.5 games this season as long as the team stays healthy. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton missed a combined 69 games in the 2020 MLB Season, which held the Yankees back. If they’re healthy, a team as stacked as the Yankees could turn Boone into the favorite.
NL Manager of the Year Odds
Odds via BetOnline as of Wednesday, March 10
- Brian Snitker (Braves) +700
- Dave Roberts (Dodgers) +800
- Don Mattingly (Marlins) +800
- Jayce Tingler (Padres)+800
- Luis Rojas (Mets) +900
- Craig Counsell (Brewers) +1000
- David Ross (Cubs) +1000
Brian Snitker is heading into his sixth year as the Atlanta Braves manager. In the shortened 2020 MLB Season, Snitker coached the Braves to a 35-25 record, which translates to 95 wins in a 162-game season. Had that happened, it would’ve been Snitker’s third straight season with 90 or more wins. He also steered the Braves to be within one win of a World Series appearance. Should he win, it would be Snitker’s second NL Coach of the Year Award since 2018.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts could pose a threat to Snitker’s award campaign. The 2016 NL Manager of the Year just won the MLB World Series back in October. Sportsbooks are already predicting them to be a 100+ win team again. The Dodgers have NL Most Valuable Player favorite Mookie Betts and a pitching rotation that includes Clayton Kershaw, Trevor Bauer and David Price. All the makings are there for Roberts to succeed again.
BetOnline has Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly at +800 to be the NL Manager of the Year in back-to-back seasons. Only one manager has ever won the award back-to-back and that was Bobby Cox in 2004 and 2005. In 2020, Mattingly led the Marlins to their first MLB postseason appearance since 2003. While they were swept 3-0 by the Braves in the Divisional Series, Mattingly laid the foundation to potentially build on that success in 2021.
