Who Will Marlins Reel In To Be Their New Manager With Mattingly Departure?

After seven seasons at the helm of the Miami Marlins, Don Mattingly will part ways with the organization at the conclusion of the 2022 MLB campaign. 

Although Mattingly is the winningest manager in Marlins history, the team only had one winning season during his tenure. That was during the COVID shortened 2020 season when posting a 31-29 record the Marlins made the post-season for the first time since their World Series title in 2003. However, they would be swept by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. 

As for 2022, the Marlins got off to a decent 12-8 start in April but fell off in May and allowed both the Braves and Philadelphia Phillies to get competitive with the New York Mets while the Marlins struggled to get back to .500. Since the All-Star Break, the Marlins are 20-42 and have been beset with injuries with the likes of Jazz Chisholm, Jr., Joey Wendle, Avisail Garcia going on the IL. The only reason the Marlins are ahead of the Washington Nationals is due to ace Sandy Alcantara who leads the NL in starts (31), innings pitched (220.2) and complete games (5). There is a good chance Alcantara could earn the NL Cy Young Award. Alcantara, 27, is signed with the Marlins through the 2026 season with a team option for 2027. 

The question now is who will Marlins GM Kim Ng choose to succeed Mattingly in the dugout. Will she promote from within the Marlins organization (i.e. Daren Brown who manages at Triple-AAA Jacksonville) or will she choose an outsider. If she chooses an outsider will that candidate have previous big league managerial experience a la Joe Maddon or Joe Girardi (who managed the Marlins in 2006 when Jeffrey Loria owned the team). Could she lure Joe Torre from the MLB Commissioner's office back into the dugout? Remember that Ng knew Torre well when she was an Assistant GM for the New York Yankees and also worked under Torre's supervision when he was Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations. Or will she give a chance to an outsider who has been awaiting his chance to manage a big league team like Detroit Tigers first base coach Gary Jones.

Whoever Ng chooses to replace Mattingly will have a tall order as the NL East is stacked with the Mets, Braves and Phillies. Marlins fans might have to wait a couple of years before they reel in another post-season appearance. 

As for Mattingly, will he get to rest in Evansville, Indiana for the 2023 after 12 seasons managing both the Marlins and the Los Angeles Dodgers previously. Or should the New York Yankees fail to win a World Series, could Donnie Baseball find himself wearing pinstripes next year?