Ex-Toronto Blue Jays coach Don Mattingly lands new MLB gig

Former Toronto Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly has landed a new gig for the 2026 season and perhaps beyond.

Mattingly, who served as a bench coach for the Blue Jays for the past three seasons, chose to part ways with the organization after falling one game shy of winning the World Series in November. He admitted shortly after the season that his mind had been set on leaving for some time.

"I knew it was time for me, really before the season started," Mattingly said on The Show podcast. "Toronto… that for me, had ran its course."

Rather than walking away from the game, however, the 64-year-old has accepted a new position as a hitting coach with the Philadelphia Phillies. His son, Preston Mattingly, currently serves as the organization's general manager.

The Phillies are viewed as a World Series contender going into 2026. They finished the 2025 season with an NL East-best 96-66 record, before being eliminated in the NLDS by the LA Dodgers.

"My job is really just to be another set of eyes and ears for [general manager Rob Thomson]," Mattingly said. "Be managing along in the game, try to stay ahead a little bit — I know it gets busy and fast at times when you're thinking about your pitching, then you've got a pinch-hit situation and all those things get fast."

"So, really just try to be another set of eyes, try to stay ahead with him and just try to lighten the load for him."

Interestingly enough, the Phillies are a team that is said to have major interest in free-agent shortstop Bo Bichette. With the two being quite close throughout their time with the Blue Jays, one can't help but wonder if Mattingly joining the Phillies could give them the edge in signing the 27-year-old star.

This news, of course, doesn't come as a major surprise. The Phillies were expected by many to sign Mattingly, but were forced to wait until his contract with the Blue Jays had expired.