Longtime New York Yankees star and former Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly is “deep into discussions” to join the Toronto Blue Jays coaching staff.
The New York Post reported the news about Mattingly, who is currently up for the Hall of Fame through the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee ballot, with an announcement set to be made on Sunday.
As some have noted, first-year manager John Schneider is currently looking for a bench coach.
The 61-year-old just wrapped up a seven-year stint as manager of the Marlins in which he went 443-587 with one playoff appearance in 2020. Before that, Mattingly managed the Dodgers for five seasons, winning three NL West titles but falling short in the playoffs too many times.
Mattingly had previously said that he wanted to continue coaching, even if that meant he wouldn’t be the manager, especially if it meant that he could finally make it to a World Series, something he was unable to accomplish as a player or manager.
“One team in particular really talked to me and talked to really my soul of what I like to do and see a value and it’s been very interesting to me,” Mattingly said on a recent episode of “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman ,” although he declined to say which team that was. It now appears that he was referring to the Blue Jays.
The news that Mattingly might end up coaching an AL East rival of the Yankees certainly garnered some reactions around the MLB world.
Adding Don Mattingly to John Schneider’s coaching staff would be a significant addition, to say the least. #BlueJays https://t.co/tLU6axZpGZ
— Thomas Hall (@ThomasHall85) November 29, 2022
The Blue Jays are searching for a bench coach, as reported last week. Astros hitting coach Alex Cintrón interviewed for it, but will return to Houston with a new two-year extension – https://t.co/GR0e7ZDMwh https://t.co/mR7kFUjgr3
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) November 29, 2022
Bummer. Kinda.
Yeah, bummer.https://t.co/4uSG8212v8
— Yanks Go Yard (@YanksGoYardFS) November 29, 2022
Would be a significant addition to a #BlueJays staff led by first-year manager John Schneider https://t.co/O6div1j2by
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) November 29, 2022
Wow, would that be something. We could talk about 1985 a whole lot! #Bluejays https://t.co/vgQYggZ8Bl
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) November 29, 2022
Naturally, there were those who wanted to make sure that Mattingly “trimmed those sideburns” in reference to his infamous Simpsons appearance.
Is the sticking point whether he has to trim those sideburns? https://t.co/xQFxKxlUfY
— Michael Connors (@MikeConnors) November 29, 2022
As long as he shaves those sideburns https://t.co/gyLsdWha3V
— Rob Wong (@RobWong34) November 29, 2022
[New York Post]