When you think of unbreakable records in baseball, your mind probably leaps to Cal Ripken Jr.’s ironman streak, Cy Young’s mind-boggling 511 career wins, or Rickey Henderson’s jaw-dropping 1,406 stolen bases.
But what if the most unassailable record isn’t about endurance, dominance, or speed? What if it’s about passion and a knack for getting tossed from games? Here comes Bobby Cox, legendary Atlanta Braves manager and undisputed king of MLB ejections.
Cox holds the all-time record for career managerial ejections at a staggering 162. That’s right—an entire season’s worth of ejections. To put this into perspective, the gap between Cox and the next closest manager is about as wide as the Grand Canyon.
And Cox’s record looks safer than ever based on a recent breakdown of active MLB managers’ ejection totals.
Why Cox’s Record Stands Tall
In today’s game, managers simply don’t have the same opportunities to get ejected as they did in Cox’s era with the Braves. The instant replay system has taken much of the controversy out of safe/out and fair/foul calls.
Gone are the days of managers storming out of the dugout to argue with umpires over blown calls at the bases—now, they just signal for a replay.
Additionally, arguing balls and strikes results in an almost automatic ejection, and with fines attached, skippers are far less likely to put up a fight.
Even the culture of baseball has shifted. The once-common practice of retaliatory beanballs has largely faded, which means fewer bench-clearing brawls and less need for managers to rush onto the field to protect their players.
Today’s MLB showcases celebrations and theatrics, not old-school dust-ups.
The Slim Hope of a Challenger
Among active managers, Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers leads the pack with 86 ejections over 26 seasons. That’s solid but nowhere near Cox’s total.
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, Cox’s successor, has just 20 career ejections. But there’s one name that could make things interesting: Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees.
Boone has become something of a viral sensation with his colorful ejections. He’s been tossed 39 times in just seven seasons, which gives him an impressive ejection rate of about one every 29 games.
While Cox’s ejection rate of one every 27.8 games still reigns supreme, Boone’s consistency in getting under the umpires’ skin could potentially put him in the conversation—if he manages to stay in the game long enough.
A Record for the Ages
Ultimately, Bobby Cox’s ejection record feels as untouchable as any in baseball history.
The game has changed, the culture has shifted, and managers simply don’t clash with umpires the way they used to. But if there’s one manager who might rewrite the script, it’s Aaron Boone.
Until then, Cox’s record stands as a testament to an era when fiery arguments and dramatic exits were as much a part of the game as home runs and strikeouts.
