A's Bob Melvin beats out Alex Cora for 2018 AL Manager of the Year

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For the third time in his career, Bob Melvin has been named Manager of the Year.

The A's skipper beat out Boston's Alex Cora and Tampa Bay's Kevin Cash to earn American League honors Tuesday. Melvin previously won the AL award in 2012 -- his first full season with the A's -- and in 2007, in the National League, with the Diamondbacks.

Melvin received 18 of the 30 first-place votes, with seven going to Cora and five to Cash. A.J. Hinch of the Houston Astros and Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees also received votes.

Melvin also received 10 second-place votes and one third-place vote, meaning he was left off only one ballot.

Melvin, 57, led Oakland to an improbable 97-65 record and a wild-card game berth after three consecutive last-place finishes in the AL West. The 97 wins represented a drastic 22-game improvement from the previous season.

[RELATED: Melvin remains humble after winning AL Manager of the Year]

The A's became the first team in the last 30 seasons to reach the playoffs with the lowest Opening Day payroll in the league. Melvin guided the team through injuries to 10 different starting pitchers, including seven that were season-ending. He was forced to use a franchise-record 15 different starting pitchers throughout the season.

Melvin becomes the eighth manager to win the award at least three times, joining Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox, who each won four times, as well as Dusty Baker, Jim Leyland, Buck Showalter, Lou Piniella and Joe Maddon. Melvin also is one of just six managers to win the award in both the NL and AL.

Melvin recently was rewarded with an A's contract extension through 2021, with a club option for 2022. He has compiled a record of 634-599 in eight seasons with the A's, trailing only Hall of Famers La Russa and Connie Mack for the most wins in franchise history.

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