The Toronto Blue Jays‘ off-season coaching staff changes will include Don Mattingly.
General manager Ross Atkins told reporters at a press conference Wednesday that Mattingly will no longer oversee the Blue Jays’ offence as the offensive co-ordinator and will go back to “a more traditional role of a bench coach.”
“He’s excited about that opportunity to impact us and John in a different way, in a bigger way,” Atkins said. “(I) think the world of Donnie. He’s been incredible and open minded to change as well.”
Mattingly joined Toronto’s coaching staff as a bench coach ahead of the 2023 season before moving into his role as offensive co-ordinator in 2024.
The former MLB MVP served as a manager with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins for 12 seasons. He won the NL Manager of the Year award after leading the Marlins to the post-season in 2020.
Atkins confirmed that the Blue Jays have parted ways with hitting coach Guillermo Martinez and that field co-ordinator Gil Kim and assistant pitching coach Jeff Ware won’t return to the major league staff.
In 2024, the Blue Jays ranked 23rd in MLB in runs scored, 26th in home runs, 19th in batting average and 18th in OPS.
“We’ll open up a search for that,” Atkins said of who will oversee the team’s offence in 2025. “There’ll be external and internal candidates for that.”
Martinez and Mattingly served as part of a team of major league hitting coaches that included assistant coaches Hunter Mense and Matt Hague.
