The Miami Marlins have reportedly hired Don Mattingly to take over as their next manager and he will replace Dan Jennings, who took over after the team fired Mike Redmond this past season. The Marlins hired Mattingly after he parted ways with the Dodgers and he takes over a team that is centered around slugger Giancarlo Stanton and pitcher Jose Fernandez.
According to ESPN.com, the Marlins are hiring Mattingly as their next manager and it comes after he split with the Dodgers earlier in the month. The Dodgers were eliminated in the playoffs by the Mets and Mattingly previously took the team to the playoffs in three straight seasons. Mattingly had a winning record in five seasons in LA and he stepped down with one year left on his contract. The Marlins went just 71-91 last season and they have had losing seasons for six straight years.
Mattingly led the Dodgers to three straight division titles and that set a franchise mark and now he will try and turn around the Marlins. Giancarlo Stanton is looking to come back healthy after dealing with injuries and the team still has a lot of young talent to build around. Heading into 2016 with Mattingly, the Marlins should be a team to watch.
Stanton dealt with injuries this year and played in only 74 games and missed half the season and he is expected to be healthy in 2016. José Fernandez came back from his surgery last year and looked good and he should be the opening day starter. Stanton was having an MVP season with 27 home runs and nearly 70 RBI in that time and now he will be looking to bounce back when the season opens in 2016.
The team also brought back Ichiro Suzuki and he could get to 3,000 hits next season for his career in the MLB. ESPN reported that the Marlins announced Suzuki returning and he will be back on a one-year deal worth $2 million. Suzuki played in 153 games last season and had 91 hits last season while helping fill in while the Marlins dealt with injuries. Suzuki keeps himself in great shape and he said he could play a few more years.
Jennings took over as manager for Redmond, stepping out of the general manager's office to take over and now it will be Mattingly. The Marlins thought they had the chance to be a contender this year and that did not work out and now the team has Suzuki back and a new manager in Mattingly.