The Philadelphia Phillies did not have a good ending to their season after falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. Now, after Don Mattingly left the Blue Jays, there are rumors abound that he could become the new Phillies bench coach, according to Phillies contributor Jon Salisbury.
“Phillies have discussed the possibility of hiring him as bench coach,” Salisbury wrote on X when referring to Mattingly.
Mattingly is still searching for his first World Series title ever. He came ever so close, after the Jays lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games, as a bench coach for Toronto. But in the end, the Jays could not hold onto a 3-1 lead and lost in 11 innings.
Mattingly was instrumental in helping build the Jays into a contender after joining them as a bench coach in 2023. Notably, he assisted John Schneider in managing this team to 94 wins and an appearance in the World Series. Mattingly entered the open market, and rumors surfaced that he was seeking a managerial job.
The Phillies are a potential option, but not for a managerial position. Instead, there is a chance he could make a parallel move and join them as a bench coach. The Phillies are perennial contenders, having made the World Series just a few seasons ago. Likewise, the Phillies could improve their team this offseason through a few trades or free-agent moves. Because of this, it could entice Mattingly to join the Phillies to chase his first title, possibly.
There is also the possibility that the Phillies face the Dodgers again in the playoffs. If that were to happen, Mattingly would get another chance at facing his former team and avenging the loss from the World Series. It also does not hurt that Preston Mattingly, son of the elder Mattingly, is the general manager of the Phillies. For now, the baseball world waits while Mattingly makes his decision, deciding what would be the best course of action for finally securing that World Series ring.
