What Are The Phillies Getting in Bench Coach Don Mattingly?
The Philadelphia Phillies officially announced Don Mattingly as their new bench coach on Rob Thomson’s staff entering the 2026 MLB season. The former New York Yankees star joins the same…
The Philadelphia Phillies officially announced Don Mattingly as their new bench coach on Rob Thomson's staff entering the 2026 MLB season.
The former New York Yankees star joins the same organization where his son Preston Mattingly has emerged as an impactful front office executive and likeliest internal successor for the 69-year-old Dave Dombrowski.
Don Mattingly: 'Donnie Baseball'
The Hall of Fame still hasn’t called Don Mattingly to the podium despite nine Gold Gloves, six MLB All-Star selections, and the 1985 American League MVP award.
Mattingly spent the last three seasons on John Schneider’s staff with the Toronto Blue Jays. He also managed the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2011-2015 and the Miami Marlins from 2016-2022.
Preston Mattingly has restructured the Phillies farm system since 2021 into a major source of pride for the organization.
The father/son duo led a mental health discussion on Father’s Day Weekend at Citizens Bank Park as part of the MLB “Strikeout The Stigma” initiative. Preston made his admiration for his father clear.
Don also has a previous relationship with Thomson from connections in the Yankees organization in the early 2000s. Both accomplished MLB coaches learned under Joe Torre.
The mentorship of a Hall of Famer in the spotlight an intense New York market has benefitted Thomson in Philadelphia. Mattingly sang the same tune about the respective coaches' time together in the Bronx.
"Thoms is one of those guys, he’s kind of done everything in the game. You respect people that have worked their way through and done a lot of different jobs... You like to see good people that work hard be rewarded and have success. Both of those guys together have been a part of my growth as a coach, as a manager.”
-Don Mattingly
Mattingly also worked under Torre with the Dodgers. He was on staff when the Phillies beat the Dodgers in consecutive NLCS in 2008 and 2009.
New Phillies Bench Coach
Mike Calitri will transition to field coordinator after serving as Thomson’s bench coach since 2022. He’ll maintain similar responsibilities in spring training reinforcing fundamentals and the intricacies of situational baseball.
The Phillies will turn the bench coach role over to Mattingly, who was previously Toronto’s “offensive coordinator” involved in pregame planning and in-game decision making early in his tenure under Schneider.
“My job is really just to be another set of eyes and ears for Thoms (Thomson) and to be managing along the game, try to stay ahead a little bit, stay with him. I know it gets busy and fast at times when you’re thinking about your pitching and then you’ve got a pinch hit situation.”
-Don Mattingly
Rumors will inevitably swirl about Mattingly's connection to free agent Bo Bichette from their time together with the Blue Jays. While player relationships with hitting coach Kevin Long have impacted previous Phillies' decisions in free agency, larger factors will determine their interest in Bichette.
Mattingly played both first base and outfield during his major league career. His playing and coaching experience could benefit Bryce Harper after the superstar’s similar position switch.
“They used to say anybody can play first. Anybody can stand over there. I don’t know if anybody can play it. Really, defense is really about wanting to be a good defender if you think about it... You may not have the speed to play center field or whatever, but you can be in the right spot, throw the ball to the right base, catch everything you’re supposed to catch, all that. If you want to be a good defender, you can be. It doesn’t mean you’re a Gold Glover, but you’re still a good defender if you do those things.”
The organization recently extended Thomson’s contract through 2027. The Mattingly hire contrasts their decision to promote Ryne Sandberg on Charlie Manuel’s staff after the 2012 season. The Sandberg hire created an heir-apparent, a perception that ultimately became a reality.
However, Mattingly openly stated he's not interested in another job as an MLB manager at his age. Sandberg was conversely emerging as an MLB manager candidate.
