Mattingly has posted a winning record in each of his four seasons in Los Angeles, but he hasn't been able to bring the Dodgers to the World Series. Pressure will always be high when you have a team payroll over $200 million, and with a new front office team, they may be inclined to find "their own guy" this offseason now that the Dodgers have been bounced in the NLDS again.
If they do decide to fire Mattingly, here are the top five candidates to replace him:
Terry Francona, current Cleveland Indians manager
Francona isn't going to be fired by the Indians, but he might not be their manager next season. Francona has an opt-out clause in his contract if president Mark Shapiro leaves the organization, and though Shapiro is heading to the Blue Jays next season, Francona said he won't opt-out. Still, the potential of a coaching a team loaded with talent like the Dodgers could sway Francona into leaving Cleveland. If Francona opts out, he'd immediately jump to the top of this list.
Matt Williams, former Washington Nationals manager
Williams was fired following the Nationals disastrous second half collapse, but he may be the best manager available. He won NL Manager of the Year in 2014 while leading the Nationals to the postseason and had the Nats as one of the best teams in baseball before their collapse. The Dodgers could use that kind of managerial experience in their clubhouse as long as the players respect him, which wasn't the case in Washington.
Charlie Manuel, former Philadelphia Phillies manager
This one might be another "pipe dream." Manuel has had his chances to get back into coaching since the Phillies fired him, but he's passed on them all. Manuel loves the Phillies, but the allure of coaching the Dodgers and their talented team could pull him out of retirement.
Ron Gardenhire, former Minnesota Twins manager
The former skipper of the Minnesota Twins has the experience the Dodgers could be looking for. He was a strong manager in Minnesota, but the time had come for the Twins to part ways. However, there are rumors that Gardenhire could end up as the Tigers' manager next season - but Los Angeles has a much better roster and could be a better situation.
Ryne Sandberg, former Philadelphia Phillies manager
Sandberg has very little success with the Phillies, but that had more to do with their lack of talent than anything he did. The Hall of Famer was thought to be one of the rising stars in the managerial world before his stint in Philly, and if the Dodgers are willing to take a risk that won't cost them a lot of money (if they strike out on the bigger names on this list), Sandberg is probably their best option.
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