MIAMI -- Back in Spring Training, before MLB shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, Marlins manager Don Mattingly delivered a matter-of-fact message to his players that it was time to turn the corner.

Coming off two straight last-place finishes, Mattingly sent a strong signal that more was expected. The players bought in, and played the entire season with a collective chip on their shoulders.

“It’s time,” Mattingly said recently, recalling his team-meeting talk in February. “It’s time for us to take a step forward, and to start to get to that top of that hill, and you start to gain momentum going in a good direction.”

The Marlins ended up being arguably the biggest surprise story in the Majors, finishing second in the National League East, and ultimately advancing to the NL Division Series.

Miami’s miraculous turnaround has made Mattingly a finalist for the NL Manager of the Year Award, as voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).

The three finalists are Mattingly, David Ross (Cubs) and Jayce Tingler (Padres).

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“Our organization, I feel like they did a great job -- our coaching staff,” Mattingly said Monday night on MLB Network. “This is an award, for me, if I were lucky enough to win it, it just talks about where we're going. Because of where we've been the last couple of seasons. Everybody working so hard to make this thing work. This is an organizational award in my mind. This is never going to be one guy doing this.”

The winner will be announced exclusively on MLB Network on Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. ET.

Already this offseason, Mattingly was recognized by Sporting News as NL Manager of the Year.

Under Mattingly’s leadership, the Marlins finished 31-29, and their second-place finish secured them their first playoff appearance since 2003. It also was the team’s first winning season since 2009.

In franchise history, the Marlins have had two BBWAA NL Manager of the Year winners -- Jack McKeon (2003) and Joe Girardi ('06).

Mattingly is up for top honors in his fifth season with the organization. Quite frankly, few people -- outside of those directly around the team -- saw Miami’s dramatic turnaround coming.

The Marlins, after all, finished 57-105 in 2019, and were a combined 120-203 the previous two seasons.

“Last year was painful,” Mattingly said in a recent interview. “I hadn’t ever been involved in a situation of losing more than 100 games. That is not a good situation to be in, no matter what. You know where the direction is. You see young talent coming. But losing 100 games is not a good feeling for anyone.”

In an unprecedented 60-game shortened season, Mattingly’s even-temper was a constant in a year that presented daily challenges.

The players and coaches underwent extensive COVID-19 testing, and handled their daily activities under strict protocols.

Just days into the start of the season, the Marlins were reminded that they were not immune from the virus that has spread globally.

In the first week, 18 Miami players tested positive for COVID-19. For the season, the Marlins ended up making 174 roster moves, and used 61 different players.

Still, they never made excuses, and no matter what was in front of them, they showed up and played.

Mattingly set a franchise benchmark on Aug. 6 after Miami held off the Orioles, 8-7, at Camden Yards. The win was Mattingly’s 282nd as Marlins manager, which moved him ahead of McKeon (281) for most by a manager in franchise history.

Mattingly’s wins total now sits at 307.

The Marlins hired Mattingly after the 2015 season, and he now is the longest-tenured manager in franchise history. Prior to arriving in Miami, Mattingly managed the Dodgers for five seasons.

In September 2019, Marlins chief executive officer Derek Jeter awarded Mattingly with a two-year contract extension.

After going through growing pains, the Marlins are looking to build on the momentum they created in 2020.

“Derek put us all on the same page, where we had a goal in mind,” Mattingly said Monday night. “We knew it was going to be a little rough [past few years]. But we believed in where we wanted to go.”