When discussing baseball’s most unbreakable records, iconic milestones like Cal Ripken Jr.’s ironman streak, Cy Young’s 500-plus wins, or Rickey Henderson’s 1,406 stolen bases often come to mind. But hidden in plain sight is a record that’s just as untouchable, held by none other than Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer.
Bobby Cox’s achievement isn’t about longevity, pitching dominance, or basepath brilliance—it’s about his fiery passion. Cox holds the MLB record for career managerial ejections, a staggering testament to his intensity and protective nature as a leader. His record stands at a jaw-dropping 162 ejections, a total that feels insurmountable in today’s game.
Why is this record so untouchable? Modern baseball has evolved. Managers no longer get the same opportunities to argue calls like they did in Cox’s era. With the advent of instant replay, many disputes over missed safe/out calls are now resolved—or redirected to replay reviews. Additionally, rules have become stricter, with arguing balls and strikes often leading to immediate ejections and fines. As a result, managers are far less likely to leave the dugout to confront umpires.
The culture of the game has shifted as well. The once-prevalent practice of retaliatory plunking—where managers would often intervene to defend their players—has largely faded. Celebrations now dominate the game’s theatrical moments, leaving less room for the fiery confrontations that once made ejections commonplace.
Among active MLB managers, no one comes close to challenging Cox. Texas Rangers skipper Bruce Bochy leads the pack with 86 ejections across 26 managerial seasons, while current Braves manager Brian Snitker ranks eighth with just 20 ejections.
There is, however, one potential contender: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Known for his fiery temperament and viral ejections, Boone has racked up 39 ejections in just seven seasons, giving him an impressive ejection rate. Boone’s current pace—one ejection every 27.8 games—puts him in rare company, but he’d need decades of managing to even approach Cox’s legendary total.
In today’s more subdued baseball environment, Cox’s record feels as untouchable as ever. His full season’s worth of ejections stands as a symbol of an era when managers were as much a part of the drama as the players on the field. Unless Boone somehow defies the odds with remarkable longevity, Bobby Cox’s ejection record seems destined to remain unbroken—a fiery legacy in baseball history.
