Don Mattingly decided that the 2025 baseball season would mark his farewell from the sport. The former 1985 American League MVP and manager planned to retire as a bench coach in Toronto, regardless of whether he achieved the elusive World Series ring he had been pursuing since his rookie year with the New York Yankees in 1983.
Mattingly changed his mind after discussions with his son during a season where the Blue Jays clinched the AL pennant. His son, Louis Mattingly, played a significant role in persuading his father to continue in the game.
The 64-year-old Mattingly felt he still had more to offer baseball after the Blue Jays lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. He joined the Phillies as a bench coach under manager Rob Thomson, his former friend from their Yankees days, and aims to assist players like Bryce Harper in returning to top form.
Having managed for 23 consecutive seasons in the major leagues, Mattingly left the Blue Jays after the World Series, feeling his job supporting a young manager had been accomplished. He replaced Mike Calitri as the Phillies’ bench coach, with Thomson praising Mattingly’s experience and value to the coaching staff.
Mattingly, who managed the Dodgers from 2011-2015 and the Marlins from 2016-2022, was named the 2020 National League Manager of the Year for leading the Marlins to their first playoff appearance in nearly two decades. Despite his success, he expressed no interest in managing again due to a lack of energy.
During his playing career, Mattingly spent 14 seasons as a first baseman for the Yankees, earning six AL All-Star selections and captaining the team in his final five seasons. Although plagued by back injuries, he finished with impressive stats but fell short of Hall of Fame induction.
The Phillies, under Thomson’s leadership, have made consistent playoff appearances but are yet to secure a World Series title since 2008. Mattingly and his son aspire to break that championship drought together, a prospect that excites the veteran coach.