Los Angeles Dodgers Parting Ways with Manager Don Mattingly

By Max Wildstein 10/22/15 

The Los Angeles Dodgers will be looking for a new manager for the 2016 season. According to a report from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the Dodgers will part ways with current manager Don Mattingly. Heyman described the decision as being “mutual.” It was a matter of time before the Dodgers decided to let go Mattingly, as it was spoken about for much of the last two seasons that Mattingly was likely on his way out of Los Angeles. According to a tweet from Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers will still pay Mattingly his entire salary owed to him for the 2016 campaign.

However, the Dodgers may have been willing to have Mattingly for a couple more years as the team’s manager. According to a report from Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles, the Dodgers offered him an extension of an unknown duration over this past weekend, as Mattingly had one year left on his contract. In response to the extension offer, Mattingly declined, citing that “he preferred to move on” from the organization. Sources indicated to Shelburne that he “simply felt he’d be more comfortable working for a front office and ownership group that had hired him, instead of contrary trying to adapt to someone else’s vision.” Contrary to this report, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reported that there was no formal extension offer presented to Mattingly, but that there was a “concept of [an] extension” that was “part of [a] larger discussion with Mattingly.”

In 2011, the Dodgers made the decision to hire the 54-year-old as the team’s next manager and replacement to Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre. The team ended up posting a record of 446-363 over the next four seasons, which was good enough for a 55 percent winning percentage. After missing out on the playoffs in his first season as the club’s manager, Mattingly led the Dodgers to three straight National League West titles. However, after failing to advance a team whose payroll amassed a record $289.6 million at the end of the regular season past the first round of the playoffs the past two seasons, changes needed to be made.

Last week, I was informed by major-league sources that the Miami Marlins, who have a managerial vacancy, were expected to make a “huge push” at landing Mattingly as their next manager, if the Dodgers were to part ways with him, as expected. Earlier today, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reported that the Marlins “definitely have interest” in Mattingly filling their managerial position. To add even more fire to the rumor, Heyman later tweeted out that the Marlins have “serious interest” in him, as “their search appeared to be on semi-hold, waiting for” the Dodgers to let him go. It will be interesting to see where Mattingly ends up, as he still wants to be a big league manager.