In 1922, McManus had perhaps his best major league season. He appeared in 154 games for the Browns, 153 of them as the Browns' starting second baseman. He compiled a .312 batting average and ranked among the American League leaders with 109 runs batted in (third), 189 hits (eighth), 278 total bases (eighth), 34 doubles (eighth), and 11 triples (10th). He also ranked as one of the league's top defensive second baseman with a 1.2 defensive WAR rating (third), 398 putouts at second base (third), 467 assists at second base (fourth), 102 double plays turned at second place (second), 32 errors at second base (first), and a 5.65 range factor rating at second base (second). The 1922 Browns team finished one game behind the pennant-winning Yankees, the closest McManus would ever come to the postseason.