Don Mattingly is back with the Phillies, and he’s not making a big deal out of how the job came to him.
Philadelphia had initially shown interest in Alex Cora before circling back to Mattingly, but the manager said he never took that as a personal slight. The Phillies have now locked in their decision after an offseason stretch that followed an early postseason exit.
“I never felt slighted,” Mattingly said. “I want what’s best for the Phillies.
If Dave thought that was moving forward (with Cora), then I was going to be good with that. I don’t have an ego that says I have to be whatever.
I just don’t need it. So, I’m thrilled to be back and honored that they have faith in me to do the job.”
Mattingly was handed the interim job after Rob Thomas was fired when the Phillies sat at 9-19. From there, Philadelphia surged to a 79-55 record under his watch.
For Mattingly, the way forward is simple: keep working and let the results speak.
“You just have to keep going and show them what you can do,” Mattingly said. “To me, it’s stay humble, keep working, and worry about winning games.
“I have a lot of confidence in myself. I don’t talk like that.
But inside, I’m confident in the way I go about my business. I’m probably not always perfect, but I’m pretty confident.”
Looking ahead to next season, Mattingly said there are changes he wants to make, including leaning harder into the defensive side because “it’s hard to score in today’s game.”
And for him, coming back to Philadelphia was about more than just a job opening. It felt like the right fit.
“I’m excited about being in Philly,” he said. “I think it’s what made me want to manage again.
I enjoy the environment. It’s kind of how I grew up playing professionally.
I’ve been other places, but this feels more like my personality.”
At any rate, Mattingly now moves toward the 2027 season with the Phillies.
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