The Los Angeles Dodgers and manager Don Mattingly have reached an agreement on a three-year contract, general manager Ned Colletti confirmed Wednesday.
“I think he’s done a great job here,” Colletti said of Mattingly at a news conference at Dodger Stadium.
“The last three years in the organization have been historic in a lot of different ways,” Colletti said. “We kept the baseball team steady and the credit goes to a lot of people, including the man who runs the dugout and the leader of the guys. This is well deserved. He gets better and better.”
The 52-year-old Mattingly was already under contract for the 2014 season. The new contract takes him through the 2016 season.
Mattingly faced an uncertain future last season, and rumors swirled that he was on the verge of getting fired before the team went on a 42-8 run and ultimately won the National League West title by 11 games.
The Dodgers advanced to the NL Championship Series, which kicked in a clause in Mattingly’s contract, guaranteeing his $1.4 million contract for 2014.
The Dodgers’ 92-70 record last season improved Mattingly’s three-year record in Los Angeles to 260-225.
Mattingly was a six-time All-Star during a 14-year major league playing career, all spent with the New York Yankees. In 1985, Mattingly was the American League’s Most Valuable Player.
Mattingly served as the Yankees’ hitting coach from 2004-06, then as the Yankees’ bench coach in 2007.
Joining former Yankees manager Joe Torre in Los Angeles, Mattingly took over as the Dodgers’ hitting coach in July 2008, then succeeded Torre as manager in 2011.
“Going in, I knew the trait of the man, his work ethic and making sure he can be as successful as he can be and not leave anything to chance,” Colletti said of Mattingly. “Now it’s his experience and willingness to adjust to those experiences.
“Last year was an important step for him. Hanley Ramirez and Zack Greinke were hurt and the starting pitching started to take on water, and he kept it steady while everybody was saying he won’t be back and won’t survive another day.
“He has the ability to understand how tough it is to play this game, the ins and outs, the peaks and valleys — they’re not lost on him. The players respect that approach.”