The evolution of Don Mattingly

The former Yankees star and ex-manager of the Dodgers and Marlins is entering his third season with the Blue Jays, and with each year, his role has changed. In 2023, Mattingly served as the bench coach. In 2024, he was also given the title of offensive coordinator, but for 2025, he is back to his original bench coach role.

So, why the changes? Mattingly himself explained that his time as offensive coordinator «didn't go great."

Despite being one of the best hitters of his generation, Mattingly acknowledges how much the game has changed. Over the past few years, the focus has been on using data to optimize pitching, and now, hitting is finally catching up.

He will continue to work with hitters in his role as bench coach, assisting manager John Schneider with tasks like lineup optimization-deciding, for example, whether Vladimir Guerrero Jr. should hit second or third.

Although many players prefer to stay in one spot in the lineup, Mattingly believes it's not a major issue for Vlad.

So far, the strategy appears to be working.