Don Mattingly Lands Phillies Contract, Updated Expectations for Lineup with New Coach

After reaching the World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays as a bench coach last season, Don Mattingly is joining Rob Thomson's staff with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2026.

The Phillies announced on Monday that Mattingly has been hired as a bench coach.

Here is the current projected lineup that Mattingly will be working with in Philadelphia for the upcoming season:

• SS Trea Turner
• DH Kyle Schwarber
• 1B Bryce Harper
• 3B Alec Bohm
• LF Brandon Marsh
• RF Adolis García
• 2B Bryson Stott
• C Rafael Marchán
• CF Justin Crawford

Thomson included a statement in the announcement of Mattingly's hiring:

"I am excited to welcome Don Mattingly to Philadelphia. Having known Don for years and having worked closely with him in New York, I know that his knowledge of the game and his character make him a great addition to our tremendous coaching staff."

Mattingly spent the past three seasons working with the Blue Jays. The former NL Manager of the Year announced on Nov. 6 that he wouldn't be returning to the club in 2026, but he wasn't looking to retire.

In addition to his regular role as a bench coach, Mattingly also spent time as an "offensive coordinator" in Toronto to aid in how to coach up the lineup to take full advantage of the players' skill set.

The role paid off because the Blue Jays finished fourth in MLB in runs scored last season. One of the big secrets to their success was putting the bat on the ball, as they had the highest contact rate of any team in the league during the 2025 campaign.

Philadelphia is a team that is also very good at making contact, finishing last season with the 10th-lowest strikeout rate in MLB. If the Phillies can turn that into good contact, similar to how the Blue Jays fared, they could get over the hump in the playoffs coming off back-to-back losses in the Division Series.

Mattingly will also be able to work with his son in Philadelphia. Preston Mattingly has been the Phillies general manager since November 2024 when he replaced Sam Fuld.

Last season marked the first time in Mattingly's career as either a player or coach/manager that his team advanced to the World Series. The Blue Jays lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.

Prior to working with Toronto, Mattingly spent seven seasons as manager of the Miami Marlins. He won NL Manager of the Year in 2020 after leading the Marlins to the playoffs.