The Philadelphia Phillies have officially named Don Mattingly as their new manager. This unique situation creates a rare father-son duo at the helm of the organization, as Mattingly’s son serves as the team’s general manager.
The Phillies announced on Thursday that they have signed Mattingly to a two-year contract.
Back in April, the team dismissed manager Rob Thomson due to poor performance and promoted Mattingly from bench coach to interim manager.
Under Mattingly’s leadership, the Phillies experienced a remarkable turnaround, finishing the regular season with an 88-74 record and clinching a postseason berth as the second seed in the National League East.
Despite being eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card Series, the organization was impressed enough to hand Mattingly the permanent managerial role.
Initially, the Phillies had their sights set on Alex Cora for the managerial position. The team made two attempts to lure Cora—once during Thomson’s dismissal in April and again after the season concluded—but he declined both offers, ultimately leading to Mattingly’s appointment.
What makes this situation particularly intriguing is that the team’s general manager is Preston Mattingly, Don’s son.
Preston, a former player himself, began his front office career as a scout for the San Diego Padres after hanging up his cleats. He served as the Phillies’ assistant general manager in 2023 before being promoted to the GM role in 2024.
This year, as Don Mattingly stepped into the interim manager role, it created an unprecedented father-son general manager (GM)-manager tandem in Major League Baseball (MLB). With this official contract, their unique partnership is set to continue.
Don Mattingly’s managerial career includes stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2011 to 2015 and the Miami Marlins from 2016 to 2022, following his illustrious playing career.
His most notable achievement came in 2020 when he guided the Marlins to their first postseason appearance in 17 years, earning him the National League Manager of the Year award.
Mattingly’s overall managerial record stands at 968 wins and 1,005 losses.