​CINCINNATI (AP) — Don Mattingly indicated he would be open to returning as the Philadelphia Phillies’ manager next season if the front office reached out to him. “Oh, I would do it,” Mattingly said in an ESPN interview before the Phillies’ 11-5 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. “I committed myself to two years with the Phillies when I came over. So whatever Dave Dombrowski wants to do in that regard.” He added with a hint of enthusiasm, “But yeah, I think I would like to do it.”
Mattingly joined the Phillies in January as their bench coach after spending three seasons in the same role with Toronto. He was promoted to interim manager on April 28 following the dismissal of Rob Thomson. This season, Philadelphia started slowly under Thomson, posting a 9-19 record. Since Mattingly took over, the team has surged to a 43-22 mark, which is the second-best record in the majors over that span.
Entering the season, the Phillies trailed Atlanta by 10 1/2 games in the National League East on May 22. In the months that followed, they narrowed the gap, leaving them three games back of the Braves and tied with Miami for the National League’s second wild-card spot. The improved performance has brought a renewed sense of possibility to Philadelphia as they pursue a postseason berth.
Don Mattingly’s bowling of leadership comes with an intriguing family connection. Preston Mattingly, one of Don Mattingly’s four sons, serves as the Phillies’ general manager. This arrangement would mark what many consider an unprecedented father-son pairing in baseball history if Mattingly ultimately returns as manager and Preston Mattingly maintains his role as general manager. While such a father-son dynamic has rarely, if ever, occurred at the top of a major league franchise in a managerial and front-office capacity, the potential pairing has captured attention as both roles seek to optimize the Phillies’ performance and organizational structure.
Mattingly’s interest in continuing as manager would need the Phillies’ front office to formalize his role for the 2025 season. His candid comment reflects the flexibility and mutual interest that appear to exist between the club’s leadership and their on-field leadership. With the team’s strong turnaround since his interim appointment, the Phillies would likely weigh the benefits of continuity and familiarity versus exploring external options for the managerial position.
As the season progresses and the Phillies’ postseason chances remain alive, all eyes will turn to the front office and Mattingly as they determine the path forward. The possibility of a continued Mattingly-led tenure could offer consistency amid a roster that has shown resilience and growth under his stewardship. In the meantime, the organization will continue to evaluate its options and chart a course that best positions the Phillies for sustained success in the coming years.
(AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB)