Don Mattingly, Dodgers agree to part ways
CHICAGO — Don Mattingly and the Dodgers will part ways, sources tell CBS Sports.
The decision is being described as mutual.
Dodgers higherups like Mattingly very much, but it was apparent there wasn’t support for the long-term. Word is Mattingly felt he was treated very well by baseball president Andrew Friedman and others, but the sides ultimately decided it was better to move on.
An announcement is expected later Thursday.
Mattingly won three straight division titles with the Dodgers, becoming the first Dodgers manager ever to do that and also make the playoffs in three straight. But Mattingly bore the heavy burden of outsized expectations.
The Marlins are known to have interest, and there are three other jobs open, as well. Mattingly wants to keep managing.
Word was getting around during the year that Mattingly might need to get out of the first round or perhaps even get to the World Series to spare his job, and it turns out the first-round elimination apparently wasn’t enough. And one Dodgers higherup, after three days of discussing Mattingly’s future, said the decisionmakers were still “ruminating” what seemed like a tough call for them.
Mattingly scored very high marks for his handling of several tricky situations, including what to do with Andre Ethier, who looked like an odd man out in the outfield in spring training, plus how to handle the catching and shortstop positions. He’s been seen as a major clubhouse plus, and Dodgers people figure that’s the most important part of today’s managing job. But there’s been a spotlight on his strategies.
Dodgers ownership, led by Mark Walter, have been said to be supporters of Mattingly for years. But folks have wondered what the call would be since new Dodgers baseball president Friedman didn’t hire Mattingly.
The front office never adequately solved the issue of who’ll start behind aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in the Nos. 3 and 4 spots in the rotation, nor who would enhance a bullpen where closer Kenley Jansen remained the one consistently successful performer.
Mattingly has been the Dodgers manager for five years, since taking over for his friend Joe Torre. He has a 446-363 (.551) record as manager.
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