The Miami Marlins inducted Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland into their team’s Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon at loanDepot Park before the final game of their three-game home series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
A true legend of the game. His leadership, passion, and grit became the heartbeat of a championship season. Today, we proudly induct Jim Leyland into the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/XuXajfamYy
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 6, 2025
Leyland managed the Florida Marlins to their first World Series title in 1997, defeating the Cleveland Indians in seven games. Colombian shortstop Edgar Renteria delivered the championship-winning hit—an 11th-inning, bases-loaded single to center off Charles Nagy.
Jim Leyland at the Marlins Hall of Fame induction ceremony! pic.twitter.com/pZWwTbNxbk
— Alfre Alvarez 🇨🇺 (@AlfreAlvarez3) July 6, 2025
That season, the Marlins finished 92-70 to earn the National League Wild Card, nine games behind the NL East champion Atlanta Braves (101-61).
Florida swept the San Francisco Giants in the NL Division Series, then beat Atlanta in six games to claim the NL pennant and reach the World Series in just the franchise’s fifth year.
This is the inaugural year for the Marlins’ Hall of Fame. Jeff Conine was the first inductee, honored March 30 before the home opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Leyland followed on July 7, and former manager Jack McKeon and second baseman Luis Castillo are scheduled for induction August 3 and August 24, respectively.
Leyland, 80, was born in Perrysburg, Ohio. He managed Detroit from 2006-13 and ranks 18th all-time in Major League Baseball with 1,769 wins.
His ties to the Tigers began in 1963, when he signed with the club as a catcher. Leyland played in the minor leagues from 1964-70, appearing for affiliates in Lakeland, Cocoa, Jamestown, Rocky Mount, Montgomery, and the Florida Instructional League before transitioning to coaching in 1971.
He managed in Detroit’s farm system from 1972-81 before joining the Chicago White Sox coaching staff under Tony La Russa from 1982-85.
Leyland later managed the Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-96), Florida Marlins (1997-98), Colorado Rockies (1999), and Detroit Tigers (2006-13). He led Pittsburgh to three straight NLCS appearances from 1990-92, reaching Game 7 against the Braves in ’91 and ’92.
He joined the Tigers after a brief stint as a Cardinals scout, returning to the dugout after walking away from Colorado following the 1999 season.
In Detroit, Leyland led the Tigers to the playoffs in his first season in 2006. Detroit won the AL Wild Card at 95-67 and beat the Yankees in four games before clinching the pennant on a Magglio Ordonez walk-off home run in Game 4 of the ALCS. The Tigers lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in five games.
In 2012, Leyland guided Detroit to an 88-74 record and a division title. The Tigers beat Oakland in the ALDS and swept the Yankees in the ALCS before falling to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.
Leyland returned in 2013 on a one-year deal. He notched his 700th win with Detroit on Sept. 25 in a 1-0 victory over Minnesota. The Tigers finished 93-69, won the AL Central, and defeated Oakland in the ALDS before losing to the Red Sox in six games in the ALCS.
He announced his retirement on Oct. 21, 2013, ending a 22-year managerial career.
Leyland was named Manager of the Year in 1990, 1992, and 2006. He was inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame in May 2024 alongside Barry Bonds and Manny Sanguillén.
Leyland is the last manager to oversee a Triple Crown winner—12-time All-Star and World Series champion Miguel Cabrera, who won the honor in 2012.
He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024, alongside Joe Mauer, Todd Helton, and Adrián Beltré. He chose not to enter with an MLB team affiliation on his plaque.
Leyland also made history by leading Team USA to its first World Baseball Classic title in 2017. The United States defeated Puerto Rico 8-0 at Dodger Stadium in the final.
“In 2017 I got a call from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Joe Torre asking if I would like to manage the United States team in the World Baseball Classic. Joe put together a tremendous group of players and I added a special guy in Hall of Famer Alan Trammell to be my bench coach. I never saw a group of guys get so close in such a short period of time. For the first and only time the United States won the WBC, that accomplishment is one of my greatest memories as a manager,” Leyland said in his Hall of Fame speech.
Leyland and Tommy Lasorda are the only managers to win both a World Series and an international tournament. Lasorda managed Team USA to a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics, defeating Cuba 4-0 in Sydney, Australia.
Florida Marlins manager Jim Leyland celebrates on the field after the Marlins defeated the Cleveland Indians 3-2 in Game Seven of the World Series, early Monday morning , Oct. 27, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami. (AP Photo/Eric Draper)
