Dodgers Consiglieri, Former Stars, Spurn Phillies For Los Angeles

The Philadelphia Phillies have begun what could be a consequential offseason with a major decision about the future of their dugout.

After replacing Rob Thomson during a disappointing start to the season, the club watched interim skipper Don Mattingly help stabilize its roster and restore its standing as a contender. Now, the organization can turn its attention toward the additional moves needed to make a deeper postseason run after formally announcing a two-year manager contract with Mattingly.

“The club announced Wednesday morning that Mattingly, who became the team’s interim manager on April 28, signed a two-year contract that runs through the 2028 season,” Todd Zolecki reported. “Mattingly’s performance with a talented, but flawed roster was enough to bring him back.”

But Mattingly’s return does not mean Philadelphia was without other options.

Philadelphia Phillies’ Don Mattingly Replacement Candidates Choose Los Angeles Dodgers

According to several reports, the Phillies pursued a pair of former players who ultimately chose to remain in their respective roles with the Los Angeles Dodgers instead.

“The Phillies also had strong interest and spoke recently with Raul Ibanez, their outfielder in 2009-2011, about becoming their manager,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported, shortly after the new deal for Mattingly was announced. “He opted to stay in his job as vice president of baseball development and special projects for the Dodgers.”

Ibanez would have offered Philadelphia a familiar candidate with both playing experience and a background in baseball operations. He spent three seasons with the Phillies and remains connected to the organization through that playing history, making him a potentially intriguing alternative as the club considered its managerial future.

He has also been considered for a major league managerial position in the past.

“Ibanez, who played for the Phillies from 2009 to 2011, is highly regarded around the sport and has interviewed for managerial openings in the past,” Destiny Lugardo noted for Phillies Nation. “He was named as a finalist for the Tampa Bay Rays opening in 2014, but withdrew his name from consideration. The job went to Kevin Cash, who is now the longest-tenured manager in MLB.”

Shortly after Nightengale’s report surfaced, news struck that the Phillies had also courted former star infielder Chase Utley.

“Before the Philadelphia Phillies finalized their decision to rehire Don Mattingly as their manager, they reached out to Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez, two high-profile names from their recent past, to gauge their interest in the job,” according to The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. “Utley, who finished his playing career with the Dodgers after 13 seasons with the Phillies, is a special assistant to the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman.”

Philadelphia Phillies Face More Offseason Decisions After Manager Decision

With Ibanez and Utley remaining in Los Angeles, the Phillies can move forward with Mattingly in place while focusing on the roster issues that contributed to their disappointing finish. The club’s decision to bring Mattingly back suggests that its leadership believes continuity in the dugout can help the team return to postseason contention.

Still, even after committing to their manager, the Phillies must determine how to address the shortcomings of its roster and provide him with the personnel needed to turn a promising regular season into a longer playoff run.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com