Mattingly to return as Marlins’ manager
Though Giancarlo Stanton’s destination remains unclear, Don Mattingly will be back with the Miami Marlins next season.
President of baseball operations Michael Hill confirmed Thursday that Mattingly will return for the third season of his four-year contract as manager. The decision had been expected, but the recent sale of the franchise to a group including Derek Jeter had left Mattingly’s future in question.
Hill was less illuminating regarding the status of Stanton. The All-Star right fielder led the major leagues with 59 homers and 132 RBIs, but his salary will rise to $25 million in 2018, which probably makes him too pricey for the revenue-starved Marlins to keep.
“I don’t want to speculate about any of our players or what the future holds for any of our guys,” Hill said. “But he’s a great player. He had a great season. We’re going to look to see what makes sense for this organization moving forward.”
Hill said he talked recently with Stanton but declined to reveal what was said.
Second baseman Dee Gordon, whose salary climbs to $10.8 million next year, also is likely to be shopped.
Trade talks should take place next week at the general managers’ meetings in Orlando. The Marlins’ payroll is expected to be reduced this offseason by about one-third to around $90 million under the new ownership.
Hill declined to discuss payroll but acknowledged a new direction is needed. The Marlins haven’t been to the playoffs since they won the World Series in 2003.
“Our last winning season was 2009,” Hill said. “We won 77 games this past year. What we have been doing has not worked or been good enough. As we move forward and look forward, we know we have to improve in multiple areas. Our goal is to be playoff contenders year in and year out and bring a championship back to South Florida.”
Yost hurt in fall: Kansas City manager Ned Yost, 62, broke his pelvis and several ribs during a fall on his property in Georgia. The team said Yost was working on a deer stand that gave way Saturday.
Spokesman Mike Swanson said Yost underwent surgery at Grady Hospital in Atlanta and was to be transferred to a rehabilitation facility Thursday or Friday. Swanson says Yost will need a wheelchair for a short time.
Yost is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. He led the Royals to the 2015 World Series title, the team’s first since 1985.
Coaching hires: Derek Lilliquist will be the pitching coach for new Washington manager Dave Martinez, and the Nationals also formally announced the hiring of Chip Hale as bench coach.
Hale, who was a coach for the A’s this past season, was born in San Jose and went to Campolindo High-Moraga.
The Cubs hired Jim Hickey as their pitching coach and moved Brandon Hyde to bench coach, replacing Martinez.
Hickey spent 11 years as Tampa Bay’s pitching coach before a split with the Rays at the end of the season. He is reuniting with his old boss, Joe Maddon, in Chicago and replacing Chris Bosio, whose contract was not renewed.
Hyde was the Cubs’ bench coach under Rick Renteria in 2014 and spent the next three seasons under Maddon as the first-base coach.
Yankees begin interview process: Rob Thomson, a bench coach on Joe Girardi’s staff for the past decade, is the first candidate to be interviewed to replace the Yankees’ manager.
Thomson is a 54-year-old Canadian who has been with the Yankees for 28 seasons,