Don Mattingly spent the better part of the last two seasons on the hot seat as pressure to win a World Series as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers only continued to intensify.
Following another first-round postseason exit, the Dodgers and Mattingly mutually agreed to part ways. With Mattingly no longer at the helm, team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said on Thursday the coaching staff is permitted to explore other opportunities.
“We talked to them this morning, reached out to various guys. Obviously we wish that we had more answers to provide but we don’t,” Friedman said. “This process is just getting underway, we have a lot of respect for those guys. We told them they are free to look elsewhere.”
Friedman confirmed the contracts of those on the coaching staff expired once the season ended. While the coaches are free to seek employment with another team, Friedman added to possibility for any of them to remain with the Dodgers hasn’t completely been ruled out.
“To the extent that something lines up for that makes sense to them and their family, we understand. To the extent that they’re still available when we hire a manager, then obviously that will be a conversation we’ll have with the new manager at that time,” he said.
The Dodgers coaching staff this season was comprised of pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, hitting coach Mark McGwire, assistant pitching coach Ken Howell, first base coach Davey Lopes, third base coach Ron Roenicke, bench coach Tim Wallach, bullpen coach Chuck Crim, and catching coach Steve Yeager.
Lorenzo Bundy transitioned from third base coach to outfield coordinator when Roenicke was added to the staff in August. The entire staff was retained following the 2014 season. Friedman said the club “definitely” expects to have a manager hired by the Winter Meetings, which begin Dec. 7.
