EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDon Mattingly, who guided the Philadelphia Phillies to the postseason after taking over as interim manager just 28 games into the season, will return as the team's full-time manager after reaching a two-year deal, it was announced Wednesday.Hired last season as a bench coach, Mattingly, 65, took the reins after Rob Thomson was fired in April. The father of Phillies general manager Preston Mattingly, Don Mattingly helped turn around the team's fortunes immediately and, despite losing four games in a row during the final week of the regular season, clinched a National League wild-card berth with a victory in the final game.The Phillies forced a decisive Game 3 in the NL Wild Card series against the Atlanta Braves but bowed out with a 6-2 loss.Mattingly went 79-55 this season, stating publicly that he had interest in returning as manager as the Phillies reached the postseason for a fifth consecutive season.Alex Cora was approached about the job for the second time in less than six months by Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, but Cora again declined, USA Today Sports reported earlier this month.The Phillies boast a starting rotation that is led by Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler and Jesus Luzardo, but an aging lineup, anchored by slugger Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, is becoming a concern. Infielder Alec Bohm, trade deadline acquisition Luis Arraez and reliever Jose Alvarado are among those entering free agency.Right field again will be a question mark entering 2027 with Harper likely returning to first base, and bullpen depth will also need to be addressed. Top infield prospect Aidan Miller, who missed almost all of last season because of a back injury, could be the answer at third base.Following a 14-year playing career with the New York Yankees, Mattingly has served as a major league manager or coach for 23 consecutive seasons. Prior to joining the Phillies, Mattingly was bench coach of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025 as they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.He also managed the Dodgers from 2011 to '15 and the Miami Marlins from 2016 to '22. He was NL Manager of the Year in 2020 after he led the Marlins to their first playoff appearance since 2003. Overall, he has a managerial record of 968-1,005, reaching the playoffs five times.As a player, Mattingly served as captain of the Yankees for five of his 14 seasons in New York, winning the American League MVP award in 1985 and earning six AL All-Star selections.ESPN's David Schoenfield and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
