CINCINNATI — Don Mattingly expressed interest in returning as the Philadelphia Phillies’ manager next season if he was approached by the front office.
“Oh, I would do it,” Mattingly said during an interview with ESPN before an 11-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. “I committed myself to two years with the Phillies when I came over. So whatever (president of baseball operations) Dave (Dombrowski) wants to do in that regard.
“But yeah, I think I would like to do it.”
Mattingly joined the Phillies in January as their bench coach after three seasons in the same role with Toronto. He was elevated to interim manager on April 28 after Rob Thomson was fired.
Philadelphia was 9-19 this season under Thomson, but has gone 43-22 under Mattingly — the second-best mark in the majors since he took over.
The Phillies were 10 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the NL East on May 22, but are only three back of the Braves as well as tied with Miami for the NL’s second wild-card spot.
Preston Mattingly — one of Don Mattingly’s four sons — is the Phillies’ general manager. It is believed to be the first father-son manager-GM duo in baseball history.
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