Who are the longest-tenured MLB managers? A look at Major League Baseball's most loyal leaders
The role of an MLB manager is undeniably demanding, yet some have managed to maintain their positions for long periods. In this article, we have a closer look into the professional successes of the longest-tenured MLB managers, who have succeeded in a league where longevity in management is a rare feat.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Who are the longest-tenured MLB managers?
- 1. Connie Mack — 50 seasons
- 2. John McGraw — 31 seasons
- 3. Walter Alston — 23 seasons
- 4. Bobby Cox — 21 seasons
- 5. Tommy Lasorda — 21 seasons
- 6. Mike Scioscia — 19 seasons
- 7. Cap Anson — 19 seasons
- 8. Wilbert Robinson — 18 seasons
- 9. Sparky Anderson — 17 seasons
- 10. Tony La Russa — 16 seasons
- 11. Tom Kelly — 16 seasons
- 12. Joe McCarthy — 16 seasons
- 13. Fred Clarke — 15 seasons
- Who is the longest-tenured MLB manager currently?
- What MLB manager has managed the most games?
Key takeaways
- The list of the top 10 longest-tenured MLB managers is led by Philadelphia Athletics's long-time skipper, Connie Mack.
- Mack completed fifty years at the helm of the Athletics, completing 7,466 games with 3,582 recorded wins against 3,814 losses.
- Other long-serving MLB managers include John McGraw, Walter Alston, Bobby Cox, Tommy Lasorda, and Mike Scioscia.
Who are the longest-tenured MLB managers?
When compiling this list of the longest-tenured MLB managers, we used recorded career facts based on publicly available information and reports from reputable sources, such as the official MLB website, official team websites, Baseball Hall of Fame, Baseball Almanac, and Baseball Reference etc.
| Name | Team | Year of appointment | Seasons |
| Connie Mack | Philadelphia Athletics | 1901 | 50 |
| John McGraw | New York Giants | 1902 | 31 |
| Walter Alston | Los Angeles Dodgers | 1954 | 23 |
| Bobby Cox | Atlanta Braves | 1978 | 21 |
| Tommy Lasorda | Los Angeles Dodgers | 1976 | 21 |
| Mike Scioscia | Los Angeles Angels | 2000 | 19 |
| Cap Anson | Chicago Cubs | 1879 | 19 |
| Wilbert Robinson | Brooklyn Robins | 1914 | 18 |
| Sparky Anderson | Detroit Tigers | 1979 | 17 |
| Tony La Russa | St. Louis Cardinals | 1996 | 16 |
| Tom Kelly | Minnesota Twins | 1986 | 16 |
| Joe McCarthy | New York Yankees | 1931 | 16 |
| Fred Clarke | Pittsburgh Pirates | 1900 | 15 |
1. Connie Mack — 50 seasons
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- Full name: Cornelius McGillicuddy
- Date of birth: 22 December 1862
- Date of death: 8 February 1956
- Team: Philadelphia Athletics
Mack began his baseball career as a catcher, playing for the Washington Nationals, Washington Buffalo and the Pittsburgh Pirates. For 50 years, the Grand Old Man of Baseball led two baseball dynasties for the Philadelphia Athletics, winning nine AL pennants and five World Series titles.
In his second and longest stint as an MLB manager for the Athletics, he recorded 3,582 wins against 3,814 losses. This earned him a .484 team win rate and a .486 career win rate. The Hall of Famer has the highest number of World Series titles as of March 2025.
2. John McGraw — 31 seasons
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- Full name: John Joseph McGraw
- Date of birth: 7 April 1873
- Date of death: 25 February 1934
- Team: New York Giants
John McGraw, also known as Little Napoleon, is considered one of the greatest baseball managers of all time. His prowess was recognised by his long-time rival and manager, Connie Mack, who said,
There has been only one manager — and his name is McGraw.
McGraw started in the MLB as a baseball player, representing the Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals. In 1901, he took over as player-manager of the New York Giants, a position he maintained as a manager until 1932. During this time, he recorded 2,583 victories in 4,424 games for the Giants.
3. Walter Alston — 23 seasons
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- Full name: Walter Emmons Alston
- Date of birth: 1 December 1911
- Date of death: 1 October 1984
- Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
Alston spent his entire managerial career guiding the Dodger Blue, to 2,040 wins in 3,658 career games. He saw the change in names for the team, from the Brooklyn Dodgers to the New York Dodgers. Under Alston, the team won four World Series, seven National League pennants, and three Fall Classics.
4. Bobby Cox — 21 seasons
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- Full name: Robert Joe Cox
- Date of birth: 21 May 1941
- Age: 83 years as of March 2025
- Team: Atlanta Braves
Before managing the Braves for 25 seasons, Bobby Cox was a player, representing the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
He first managed the Braves for five years between 1978 and 1981 before moving to the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1990, he made a comeback and began the Braves’ dominance with 14 division titles, five pennants, and a World Series title.
5. Tommy Lasorda — 21 seasons
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- Full name: Thomas Charles Lasorda
- Date of birth: 22 September 1927
- Date of death: 7 January 2021
- Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
Lasorda spent his entire managerial career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His 21-year-long tenure ended with a .526 winning percentage. Between 1983 and 1994, he won two NL Manager of the Year awards and ranked above fifth place four times.
In his first season, the team won two consecutive NL pennants. Then, in 1981 and 1988, he guided the club to two World Series titles.
6. Mike Scioscia — 19 seasons
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- Full name: Michael Lorri Scioscia
- Date of birth: 27 November 1958
- Age: 66 years as of March 2025
- Team: Los Angeles Angels
Scioscia had a 13-year career playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a catcher, under Tommy Lasorda. He took charge of the Angels in 2000 and led them to the 2002 World Series in his third season. In the nineteen years, Mike Scioscia oversaw three name changes from Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to the present-day Los Angeles Angels.
7. Cap Anson — 19 seasons
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- Full name: Adrian Constantine Anson
- Date of birth: 17 April 1852
- Date of death: 14 April 1922
- Team: Chicago Cubs
Anson managed three baseball teams between 1875 and 1898, the New York Giants, Chicago Colts, and Philadelphia Athletics. His 19 years with the Chicago Colts, now the Cubs ended with over 1,282 wins against 932 losses in 2,258 baseball games.
8. Wilbert Robinson — 18 seasons
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- Full name: Wilbert Robinson
- Date of birth: 29 June 1864
- Date of death: 8 August 1934
- Team: Brooklyn Robins
After one season heading the Baltimore Orioles, Robinson moved to the Robins, now known as the Brooklyn Dodgers, for 18 years, winning NL pennants in 1916 and 1920. With him at the helm of the team, the Robins averaged a .506 win rate in 2,735 games out of 2,818 career games.
9. Sparky Anderson — 17 seasons
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- Full name: George Lee Anderson
- Date of birth: 22 February 1934
- Date of death: 4 November 2010
- Team: Detroit Tigers
Anderson’s managerial career in the MLB began in 1970 with the Cincinnati Reds, where he excelled with four NL pennants and two World Series titles. From there, he captained the Detroit Tigers to a title in 1984. During his time with the Tigers, Anderson managed famed baseball players such as Jack Morris, Alan Trammell, and Kirk Gibson.
10. Tony La Russa — 16 seasons
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- Full name: Anthony La Russa Jr.
- Date of birth: 4 October 1944
- Age: 80 years as of March 2025
- Team: St. Louis Cardinals
La Russa began skippering teams in 1979, spending at least a decade at each team he managed. His 16 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals ended with three pennants and 2 World Series titles. His performance as a skipper earned him National and American League Manager of the Year awards in 1983, 1988, 1992, and 2002.
11. Tom Kelly — 16 seasons
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- Full name: Jay Thomas Kelly
- Date of birth: 15 August 1950
- Age: 74 years as of March 2025
- Team: Minnesota Twins
The former baseball outfielder and first baseman took charge of the Minnesota Twins at 36 and led them until he turned 51. For 16 seasons, he won 1,140 tournaments against 1,244 and recorded a .478 win-loss percentage. The Twins won two pennants and two World Series titles with him at the helm, in 1987 and 1991.
12. Joe McCarthy — 16 seasons
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- Full name: Joseph Vincent McCarthy
- Date of birth: 21 April 1887
- Date of death: 13 January 1978
- Team: New York Yankees
McCarthy managed three teams in his career, starting with the Chicago Cubs for five seasons and ending with the Red Sox for three, sandwiching his 16 seasons with the New York Yankees. His time with the Yankees made him a Hall of Fame manager, with eight pennants and seven World Series. He led them in 1,460 games with a .627 win-loss rate.
13. Fred Clarke — 15 seasons
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- Full name: Fred Clifford Clarke
- Date of birth: 3 October 1872
- Date of death: 14 August 1960
- Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Baseball player turned coach, Fred Clarke, ushered the Pirates into the modern era, taking over the club in 1900. The left fielder skippered them for 1,479 games in 15 seasons. Under Clarke, the Pirates won four National League pennants in 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1909 as well as the 1909 World Series.
Who is the longest-tenured MLB manager currently?
As of March 2025, Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash has served the longest tenure in one team. Since then, the skipper has led 1,518 games, recording 819 wins against 699 losses in ten seasons.
What MLB manager has managed the most games?
Connie Mack has recorded the most years as an MLB manager, at the helm of the Philadelphia Athletics. As the longest-tenured manager in MLB history, he completed over 7,400 games in 50 seasons.
The longest-tenured MLB managers have completed between 15 and 50 years guiding baseball teams in the American League. The American League has seen its fair share of managers driving each team's success. At the top of the list is Connie Mack, who spent fifty seasons heading the Philadelphia Athletics.
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