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Twins' Molitor takes home AL Manager of the Year honors

Duane Burleson / Getty Images Sport / Getty

From Hall of Fame player to Manager of the Year.

Minnesota Twins skipper Paul Molitor was named American League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Tuesday, beating out the Cleveland Indians' Terry Francona and the Houston Astros' A.J. Hinch.

Manager Team 1st 2nd 3rd Points
Paul Molitor MIN 18 6 4 112
Terry Francona CLE 11 9 8 90
A.J. Hinch HOU 1 13 12 56

Molitor helped lead the Twins to a 26-game improvement and their first postseason appearance since 2010 when they secured the second wild-card spot this season. Minnesota, who boasted the ninth-lowest payroll, was the first team in MLB history to reach the postseason following a 100-plus loss season.

It's the first win in Molitor's career, and the third time in franchise history that a Twins manager has won the award, joining Ron Gardenhire (2010), and Tom Kelly (1991).

Molitor is just the second player inducted into the Hall of Fame to later be named Manager of the Year.

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