Jeff Banister is one of three finalists for the 2016 American League Manager of the Year Award, it was announced this evening by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Banister is joined by Cleveland's Terry Francona and Baltimore's Buck Showalter as the finalists for the BBWAA's A.L. Manager of the Year Award with the winner to be announced on Tuesday, November 15 on MLB Network. That show, where the winners of the A.L. and N.L. Managers of the Year will be announced, will run from 5:00-6:00 p.m. CT.
Banister was selected as the 2015 BBWAA A.L. Manager of the Year, joining Johnny Oates (co-winner in 1996 with Joe Torre) and Showalter (2004) as the only Rangers' managers to be so honored.
Texas won its second consecutive American League West Division title in 2016 while compiling the A.L.'s best record at 95-67, tying the second most victories in club history. Banister became just the fourth manager to capture division titles in his first two seasons as a major league skipper since the start of three-division play in 1994.
In Banister's two seasons at the helm, the Rangers have a regular season record of 183-141 (.565), the second best career winning percentage among all current major league managers (320 or more games) behind the Cardinals' Mike Matheny at .569 (461-349).