Phillies’ Don Mattingly Sends 3-Word Message On Answering To His Son

The Philadelphia Phillies seem to be exploring a blockbuster change to the roster that would dramatically overhaul the infield after a second straight playoff disappointment.

The team has met with former Toronto Blue Jays franchise shortstop Bo Bichette and it seems as if the meeting was a positive step toward a new contract.

“As rival clubs are beginning to view the Philadelphia Phillies as Bo Bichette’s most serious suitor, a development even the Phillies would not have envisioned last month, the momentum toward a surprising match is difficult to ignore,” Matt Gelb wrote for The Athletic. “Within the industry, the general sentiment is that whenever (Phillies president of baseball operations) Dave Dombrowski targets a star player, he’ll find a way to land him.”

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But finding room on the payroll for Bichette won’t be easy, as the Phillies already carry a number of significant star salaries for next year and beyond. And if the team is unable to haul in Bichette, the team’s biggest change this winter might be the addition of his Blue Jays bench coach, Don Mattingly.

Mattingly, who was a star infielder for the New York Yankees in his own standout big-league career, announced his decision to leave the Blue Jays shortly after their trip to the last World Series. He had a strong working relationship with Phillies manager Rob Thomson when the two were fellow coaches with the Yankees, but it seems likely that a big reason he took the Phillies job was so that he could work with his son, Preston, who is the team’s general manager.

“It’s nice to be on the same team and be after the same goal,” Mattingly said of joining his son as part of the Phillies’ staff, during an interview with WFIE’s Max Parker. “He’s been telling me what to do for a long time.”

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Mattingly added that Preston used to recommend roster moves that he should make while he was managing the Miami Marlins and that he had to explain to his son that he wasn’t in control of the front office. And now, upon joining the Phillies, the elder Mattingly wants to keep that hierarchy in place, even though that means answering to his son.

He offered a clear three-word explanation of his working dynamic with Preston:

“He’s the boss,” Mattingly told Parker.

But even though Preston will serve as his father’s “boss” for the Phillies’ organization, he could be turning to his dad for some help soon. Don Mattingly enjoyed a highly productive relationship with Bichette while the two were with the Blue Jays, and if the Phillies want to convince the shortstop to join their team, perhaps some convincing from the general manager’s father could be a help.