Father and Son Make MLB History in Philadelphia

A baseball first is unfolding in Philadelphia, where love of the game runs in the family.

Don Mattingly, 65, and his son Preston, 38, have become Major League Baseball's first father-son manager and general manager duo with the Philadelphia Phillies. When the team needed a new manager in April, Preston didn't hesitate to promote his dad from bench coach to interim manager.

"We share a big goal, which is the World Series," Preston told reporters. "I think it's a great fit."

The arrangement might sound awkward, but both Mattinglys say the modern structure of baseball management actually makes it work. Front offices now collaborate closely with field managers on daily decisions, creating natural boundaries that protect the relationship.

Don, an Evansville native and former New York Yankees star, had actually retired from managing. He spent more than four decades in professional baseball and didn't think he had the energy to lead a team again. But when Phillies President Dave Dombrowski asked him to return, he couldn't say no.

"I always felt the guys could trust me," Don says about his relationship with players. Preston agrees that clubhouse confidentiality remains sacred, even when the GM is family.

Why This Inspires

Preston's journey to the GM chair wasn't easy or direct. Drafted in the first round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006, he struggled as a player and never made it past Class A ball. Instead of giving up on his baseball dreams, he reinvented himself.

At 26, Preston took a detour to play Division I basketball at Lamar University. Then he returned to baseball on the management side, starting at the bottom as a scout for the San Diego Padres. He worked his way up over nine years before the Phillies named him GM in 2024.

"His journey led him here," Don says proudly, noting that Preston's childhood visits to the Yankees locker room prepared him for big league life. "He started at San Diego at the very bottom. He's come a long way."

Preston credits his resilience for the success. "If things don't go your way, you get back up and dust yourself off," he says.

The Mattinglys bring complementary skills to their historic partnership. Preston embraces modern analytics and technology while respecting traditional scouting. Don brings decades of field experience and a proven track record of turning struggling teams into winners.

Together, they're proving that family and professional excellence can coexist at baseball's highest level.