Phillies GM Wants to Avoid Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw in Playoffs

Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) looks on before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 30. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Preston Mattingly took a long and unusual path to becoming the Philadelphia Phillies' general manager. The son of former Dodgers coach and manager Don Mattingly, Preston Mattingly was chosen by the Dodgers in the 31st round of the 2006 draft — the same year Clayton Kershaw was chosen in the first round.

Mattingly and Kershaw were minor league roommates at one point, but their paths quickly diverged. A utility player who saw most of his action in left field and second base, Mattingly topped out at advanced Class-A Rancho Cucamonga before he signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees as a free agent.

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Rather than continue his career in the Yankees' organization like his father, Mattingly retired after the 2011 season. He enrolled in college, and played three seasons of Division I basketball at Lamar University.

Mattingly later returned to pro baseball, working his way up to director of player development for the San Diego Padres before he was appointed to the same job with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was promoted from player development director to assistant GM in November 2023, then to general manager last November.

Now, Mattingly's Phillies are poised to clinch a postseason berth and, potentially, a playoff date with the organization that drafted him. The Phillies (81-59) entered Friday's game with a six-game lead over the New York Mets (75-65) atop the National League East standings.

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Speaking to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Scott Lauber on the "Phillies Extra" show, Mattingly said he still keeps in touch with his famous former roommate who's still holding up the Dodgers' starting rotation at age 37.

"Anything Clayton does doesn't surprise me," Mattingly said. "We'll text here and there throughout the season. I know how busy he is and how hard he works at his craft. If we were to match up in the playoffs, that may be the one time I'm not pulling for. It would be exciting to sit up in the suite and watch him, and hopefully the Phillies come out on top."

If the season ended today, the Phillies would host the winner of a best-of-three Wild Card series between the Dodgers and Mets.

Kershaw, provided he stays healthy, is a safe pick to start at some point in any postseason series for the Dodgers. Since he allowed five runs in four innings in his first start of the season on May 17, Kershaw is 9-2 with a 2.92 ERA.

Kershaw hasn't faced the Phillies this season — yet — and Mattingly is in no hurry to see that change.

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