Dodgers Part ways With Don Mattingly; Begin Manager Search

After five straight winning seasons and having a payroll of $290 million in 2015, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Don Mattingly have decided to part ways. Mattingly succeeded former Dodgers and Yankees manager, Joe Torre, who Mattingly coached under.

In his tenure as manager, Mattingly had brought the Dodgers to three straight postseason appearances. Despite the playoff appearances, Mattingly’s Dodgers held a postseason record of 8-11, and only one postseason series victory, with that victory occurring two years ago in the 2013 NLDS. He had a managerial record of 446-363 in five years as the Dodgers manager. Mattingly had one more year left on his contract with Los Angeles, which will be paid out by the Dodgers.

According to MLB Trade Rumors:

“Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler is a “serious frontrunner” for the job, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com, who acknowledges that the process is only just beginning. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported earlier this morning (via Twitter) that Kapler was considered a candidate. While he only has minimal managerial experience in the low minors, Kapler is a highly respected former player who has long been viewed as a budding managerial prospect.” 

With the vacant managerial position, the Dodgers will be looking for a skipper in hopes that he will be the first to guide the franchise to their first World Series since 1988. Other names that could possible fill the open position for manager according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times: “former Rays and current Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez, former Padres skipper Bud Black, current Dodgers bench coach Tim Wallach, and recently-hired Dodgers third base coach Ron Roenicke.”

As the Dodgers look to replace him, Mattingly will be looking for a new job with current vacancies in Seattle and Miami. Wherever he ends up, Mattingly will bring a managing presence that leads to a winning season, despite not having so much success in the postseason.

Los Angeles will of course look to strive forward to another winning season, but this time with more success in the postseason than they have had in recent years.

Main Photo: ST LOUIS, MO – OCTOBER 06:  Don Mattingly #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before taking on the St. Louis Cardinals in Game Three of the National League Division Series at Busch Stadium on October 6, 2014 in St Louis, Missouri.  (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)