The Los Angeles Dodgers and Don Mattingly have agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in SoCal through 2016, ESPN reported.
Mattingly’s previous deal would have expired at the conclusion of the 2014 season, and following the Dodgers’ exit from the postseason was brought up in the final press conference. Mattingly stated he did not want to enter the 2014 season as a lame-duck manager because “it puts me in a spot where everything that I do is questioned because I’m basically trying out or auditioning to say, ‘Can he manage or can he not manage?’ To me, it’s at the point where, three years in, you either know or you don’t.”
Before the start of last season, Mattingly was told he would remain the manager of the team beyond 2013. After a slow start out of the gates, the Dodgers went 92-70 and made it all the way to the National League Championship Series.
Since taking over in Los Angeles for retiring Joe Torre three seasons ago, Mattingly has accumulated a 260-225 record and has led the team to winning seasons every year. Last year, he finished second in the voting for National League Manager of the Year after the team won the NL West.
The specifics of the new deal have yet to be released, but are expected to be announced later in the week.
