Don Mattingly officially hired as Toronto Blue Jays new bench coach

The Toronto Blue Jays have added a big name to their coaching staff ahead of the 2023 season.

The team announced Wednesday morning that Don Mattingly will serve as bench coach under the club’s manager John Schneider.

“It was great getting to know Don throughout this process and we are very excited about the experience he brings with him, from the variety of roles he has had over the years,” said Schneider in a statement. “The organization and I are looking forward to his impact on the players and staff, as we look ahead to an exciting 2023 season.”

The 61-year-old Mattingly previously spent seven seasons as the manager of the Miami Marlins, and five years as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to his stint in Florida. He announced he was stepping down as manager of the Marlins following the 2022 regular season.

“I do feel like I need to be in the game. I still feel good physically, mentally, all those things, but you want to be valued in the sense that I want to use my talents,” said Mattingly on a recent podcast. “I feel like I see things, I can help players, I want players to get better, I want the game to be great and I want to be part of a winning situation.”

Nicknamed “Donnie Baseball,” the former slugger also had a successful playing career with the New York Yankees, being named to six All-Star teams and winning nine Gold Gloves for his work as a first baseman. Mattingly was named American League MVP in 1985.

The Blue Jays extended manager John Schneider on a three-year contract after he took over for Charlie Montoyo midway through the 2022 season. Schneider led the Blue Jays to a 46-28 record to close out the regular season but lost two-straight games in the American League Wild Card against the Seattle Mariners.

After Schneider took over for Montoyo, former Buffalo Bisons manager Casey Candaele was promoted to bench coach on an interim basis. The team has announced Candaele will return to manage the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons for the 2023 season.

The Blue Jays are expected to unveil their full 2023 coaching staff in the coming weeks.