Don Mattingly Hired As Next Philadelphia Phillies Bench Coach
The Philadelphia Phillies aren’t just looking to fill a vacancy; they are looking for gravitas. On Monday, the team officially announced that Don Mattingly is heading to Citizens Bank Park as the new bench coach. It is a move that feels less like a standard coaching hire and more like a statement of intent from a franchise desperate to get over the final hump and grab a World Series ring.
Mattingly, 64, is replacing Mike Calitri, but you don’t hire “Donnie Baseball” just to hand the manager a lineup card. You hire him because he’s been in the trenches for decades.
A Bronx Reunion For Rob Thomson
This isn’t a blind date. Phillies Manager Rob Thomson and Mattingly have history, specifically, Yankee history. The two worked closely together in New York, and that familiarity will be significant. Thomson knows exactly what he’s getting: a guy with 12 years of managerial experience between the Dodgers and Marlins, and someone who just spent three years helping guide the Blue Jays.
“I know that his knowledge of the game and his character make him a great addition,” Thomson said in a statement. He wants a lieutenant who has commanded his own ship before. When the postseason pressure cooker heats up in October, having a former Manager of the Year sitting next to you is a luxury few skippers have.
The Bo Bichette Connection
Here is where things get spicy. The rumor mill went into overdrive the second the ink was dry on Mattingly’s contract. The Phillies have been heavily linked to free-agent Shortstop Bo Bichette, and guess who Bichette just spent the last three seasons with in Toronto?
Jon Heyman of the New York Post noted the “excellent relationship” between Mattingly and the star infielder. Now, does a bench coach usually dictate where a guy signs a nine-figure contract? Absolutely not. Money talks louder than friendship. But if the offers are close? Having a familiar face in the dugout can be the tiebreaker.
If Philadelphia manages to land Bichette, the infield shuffle will be fascinating. With Trea Turner locked at short and Bryson Stott at second, the arrival of Bichette might add fuel to the Alec Bohm trade rumors that have been swirling all winter.
The Rest Of the Hot Stove
While the Phillies were busy bolstering their coaching staff, the rest of the league finally decided to wake up. The Blue Jays didn’t waste time mourning Mattingly’s departure or waiting around for Bichette. They went out and inked Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal. Meanwhile, the Astros shore up their rotation by snagging Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai.
But for Philly fans, the focus remains right at home. The NL East is going to be a bloodbath again next year. By bringing in Mattingly, the Phillies added a baseball lifer who knows how to handle stars and knows how to win.
