THE APEX TIMES
Mattingly vows for Phillies to be less “cautious” in first full year as skipper
Entering a first full season as the Phillies’ permanent manager, Don Mattingly says the team needs to play faster, swing with more conviction and find multiple ways to score. The message comes as Phillies leadership also resets parts of the coaching staff.
Two days after the Phillies finished their season on Oct. 1, Don Mattingly met with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski at Citizens Bank Park to review what worked and what needs changing for the next campaign.
Mattingly, who replaced Rob Thomson as interim manager on April 28, signed a two-year contract last Saturday and will now try to make his own mark in his first full year leading the club. Dombrowski described Mattingly as a leading candidate to return after the season, and both men discussed the direction of the team going forward.
While Mattingly’s in-season run helped the Phillies reach a fifth straight postseason appearance, he framed the off-season task as shifting the team identity away from a style he characterized as sometimes too cautious. Mattingly said he wants a club that plays faster, emphasizing defense, baserunning and the “little things” that decide close games.
On offense, Mattingly pointed to the need for more sustainable run production beyond a single pathway. He referenced a stretch in which the Phillies went 21-7 in August as evidence of what the team can do, saying that month showed they could control the strike zone, swing at strikes and draw walks to create team-wide damage.
He acknowledged that playoffs often look different, describing teams that foul off pitches, create more opportunities and then break through. Mattingly said the Phillies need to be able to fight for at-bats that way and score in “different ways” throughout the season and into October, rather than relying on homers or one obvious method.
Alongside the managerial message, the Phillies moved to alter their staff approach. Per multiple sources reported by MLB, Mattingly and Dombrowski agreed to dismiss hitting coach Kevin Long and infield coach Bobby Dickerson, and the team hired Carlos Mendoza as the new third-base coach and infield coach. The Phillies are still searching for a hitting coach.
Why It Matters
- Mattingly’s “less cautious” message indicates a potential shift in how the Phillies try to manufacture runs, especially regarding pitch selection and sustained offense throughout the year.
- Changes to the hitting and infield coaching roles suggest the front office and manager want new voices tied to fundamentals, not just managerial messaging.
- A faster, defense-and-baserunning emphasis could affect how the Phillies build advantages in close games, which often matter most in the postseason.
- With the Phillies already accustomed to October, the immediate priority becomes identifying whether August’s form can be replicated across a full season under Mattingly’s permanent leadership.
Key Facts
- Don Mattingly met with Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski in Dombrowski’s office at Citizens Bank Park two days after the season ended on Oct. 1.
- Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as interim manager on April 28 and guided the Phillies to a fifth straight postseason appearance under the interim tag.
- Mattingly signed a two-year contract last Saturday and framed the next step as making the club less “cautious.”
- Mattingly said he wants a team that plays faster, with emphasis on defense, baserunning and other small, repeatable fundamentals.
- Mattingly cited an August 21-7 run as an example of the Phillies’ potential to control the strike zone and create more consistent offensive production.
- The Phillies are dismissing hitting coach Kevin Long and infield coach Bobby Dickerson, and hiring Carlos Mendoza as third-base coach and infield coach, with the team still looking for a hitting coach.