The bus stops here for Don Mattingly and the Miami Marlins ride.
Mattingly decided that it was time to move on.
Mattingly will not be back as manager of the Marlins next season, announcing Sunday that he and team officials have decided a new voice is needed to lead the club going forward.
Mattingly’s contract expires when the season ends. He said he met with Marlins principal owner Bruce Sherman and general manager Kim Ng to discuss the future, and “all parties agreed” it’s time for a change.
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Today I am announcing that I will not be seeking a contract extension with the Miami Marlins,” Mattingly said. “After meeting with Mr. Sherman and discussing with Kim Ng, all parties agreed that it was time for a new voice for the organization.”
Mattingly, the club’s all-time leader in managerial wins by a wide margin, is finishing his seventh season with the Marlins. He’s 437-584 in Miami, with one winning season in those seven years — a 31-29 mark in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when the team made its first playoff appearance since 2003.
“I am proud and honored to have served as manager of the Marlins for the past seven years and have enjoyed my experiences and relationships I’ve developed within the organization,” Mattingly added. “I look forward to spending time with my family in Evansville, and to any future endeavors.”
The 61-year-old Mattingly has managed for 12 seasons, the first five with the Los Angeles Dodgers. All five of those Dodgers clubs had winning records, three of them making the playoffs.
“We are fortunate to have had Don Mattingly leading our team on the field over the last seven years. He has represented the Marlins, our players, our fans, and the South Florida community with unmatched dignity and pride,” Miami Marlins Chairman and Principal Owner Bruce Sherman stated. “Over the course of our recent conversations with Don, we both agreed not to pursue a new contract for the 2023 season and that the time is right for a new voice to lead our clubhouse.”
The Marlins were hoping for similar success, but it didn’t happen as planned. Mattingly was the NL Manager of the Year in 2020 after getting Miami to the playoffs, but other than that, the franchise has been in a mode of constant rebuilding.
“He will depart with the most wins and most games managed in franchise history,” Sherman added. “And we are proud of Don’s many accomplishments, including winning the National League Manager of the Year in 2020 when he guided the Marlins to the postseason after a 16-year absence.”
The Marlins last spent a day in first place Aug. 16, 2020. Outside of a few random April days, they last saw first place in a regular 162-game season in June 2014. And this season will mark the 12th time in the past 13 years that they’ll finish with a losing record.
