Former Dodgers Manager Joining Dave Roberts' Staff in All-Star Game

The circumstances are unusual, but the invitation follows a typical pattern.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre (right) smiles with hitting coach Don Mattingly (left) after the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. The Los Angeles Dodgers won 3-1 on Oct. 3, 2010. | Kelvin Kuo-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers' back-to-back World Series championships mean that manager Dave Roberts must not only scratch his late-October plans. His All-Star break isn't much of a break now, either.

The managers of the World Series teams — Roberts in the National League, Toronto Blue Jays skipper John Schneider in the American League — are tasked with filling out a coaching staff for the July 14 All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

It's all but a given that the manager of the host team will be invited to be on the All-Star coaching staff in his league (assuming he isn't managing the game). After all, the manager of the host team has to travel the shortest distance to be at the ballpark for three days in July.

So it was that Philadelphia Phillies manager Don Mattingly received an invitation to be part of Dave Roberts' staff for this year's All-Star Game.

Don Mattingly confirmed that Dave Roberts asked him to be on the NL coaching staff for the All-Star Game. MLB hasn’t announced anything yet, though @BNightengale reports that Mattingly and Cardinals’ Oli Marmol will join Roberts’ staff.

— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) June 7, 2026

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that Mattingly and St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol will join Roberts on the NL staff.

Mattingly was the Dodgers' manager from 2011-15 after being promoted from hitting coach to succeed Joe Torre. He managed the last Dodgers team to miss the postseason, when they went 86-76 in 2012.

Mattingly is responsible for the first three postseason appearances in the Dodgers' active 13-year streak. He and the Dodgers' front office mutually parted ways after the 2015 season, and Mattingly managed the Miami Marlins from 2016-22. This is his first managerial post since his last season in Miami.

Mattingly didn't join the Phillies with any intention of succeeding Rob Thomson. Thomson was fired April 27, and ex-Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora rejected the chance to take over. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski promoted Mattingly, the Phillies' first-year bench coach, instead.

The invitation that went to Mattingly likely would have gone to Thomson regardless of the Phillies' record. For what it's worth, Philadelphia was 9-19 under Thomson when he was fired; through Sunday, the Phillies are 26-11 since Mattingly took over.

The circumstances that will lead Mattingly to the National League dugout at Citizens Bank Park for the All-Star game are a bit unusual, even Roberts' invitation is in keeping with custom. The only question: will Mattingly let Roberts use his office during All-Star week?

If so, at least Roberts will give it back this time.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.