Brewers’ Matt Arnold selected as MLB executive of the year

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold was chosen Major League Baseball’s executive of the year after constructing a roster that won a second straight NL Central title in the league’s smallest market.

The award is voted on by executives from all 30 MLB teams before the postseason. Arnold is the first Brewers official to win the honor.

Milwaukee went 93-69 and won the NL Central by 10 games after losing manager Craig Counsell to the division-rival Chicago Cubs in the offseason. The Brewers lost a three-game Wild Card Series to the New York Mets.

Arnold’s major moves included promoting bench coach Pat Murphy to take over for Counsell as manager and signing young outfielder Jackson Chourio to an eight-year, $82 million contract before he’d ever played a game in the majors. Arnold also traded 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes for left-hander DL Hall and third baseman Joey Ortiz.

His acquisitions of Jared Koenig and Bryan Hudson solidified one of baseball’s top bullpens. Arnold signed Rhys Hoskins to take over at first base and shored up Milwaukee’s rotation by acquiring Aaron Civale and Frankie Montas.

Arnold, 45, joined the Brewers as vice president and assistant general manager in 2015. He was promoted to general manager in November 2020. When David Stearns stepped down as president of baseball operations after the 2022 season, Arnold took over for him.