Who should replace Don Mattingly as the Blue Jays bench coach?

The Toronto Blue Jays are officially turning the page on a magical 2025 season that concluded in heartbreak. The roster will experience the normal turnover associated with free agency and trades. The coaching staff is expected to return intact with the exception of bench coach Don Mattingly.

Mattingly joined the Blue Jays in November 2022 as the bench coach under manager John Schneider, a rookie manager coming off a disastrous loss to the Seattle Mariners in the playoffs. His role shifted to "offensive coordinator" before finally evolving into the more traditional bench coach this past season.

The new bench coach will occupy an important role on John Schneider's staff. Schneider must be comfortable with the individual standing next to him in the dugout. Schneider is still evolving as a manager and needs an individual that is ready to provide tough-love as needed.

Who Should Replace Don Mattingly as the Blue Jays bench coach?

Managerial experience in the bench coach role is not a prerequisite. The Blue Jays need someone who can personally work well with Schneider. Schneider doesn't appear to be on the hot seat; General Manager Ross Atkins confirmed the organization and Schneider have agreed to continue their partnership. So who might replace the New York Yankee legend?

Caleb Joseph

Joseph is a former Toronto Blue Jay and current analyst on Sportsnet who recently became famous for his commentary on the television broadcast. Following the Blue Jays' heartbreaking loss in Game 7 of the World Series, Joseph opined that the better team didn't win the World Series. Technically, the statistics back up that argument, but the comments make him sound like a sore loser. Most neutral observers could understand that he spoke in the heat of the moment and the larger point was glossed over.

Joseph doesn't have an extensive playing career with the Blue Jays. He spent the majority of his time with the Baltimore Orioles and one season in Toronto. Joseph is a .125 career hitter with a 90 OPS+ in parts of seven seasons. Joseph immediately went into television work following his retirement and doesn't have any previous coaching experience in baseball.

Still, look at some of these new managers who lack previous managing/coaching experience. Communication and relationships are a huge part of what baseball teams are prioritizing nowadays. Joseph is already intimately familiar with the organization because he literally works on their television broadcast.

Plus, he's a former catcher who probably knows the game better than most other position players on the diamond. Catchers see the game through a different lens and pairing him with Schneider (also a former catcher) could benefit the Blue Jays.

David Ross

Ross is another one of these former catchers who have been around the game a long time. Ross is a beloved figure in Chicago after winning a World Series in 2016 as a player.

Ross lost his managerial job in Chicago two years ago when the Cubs replaced him with Craig Counsell, who suddenly became available from the Milwaukee Brewers. Thus, Ross was unceremoniously canned and has been looking for a job in baseball ever since. He made the playoffs once in four seasons at the helm of the Cubs and his name came up in managerial interviews recently.

A position with the Blue Jays could help rehabilitate his reputation. Ross has an upbeat personality that should play really well with the positive vibes inside the Blue Jays clubhouse. Ross is the complete opposite of a strict disciplinarian. That type of personality could benefit the club over the course of a long regular season.

John Gibbons

The well-traveled baseball lifer is sitting home after he decided to leave his bench coach role with the New York Mets staff following an extremely disappointing season. Gibbons, 63, had served as the Mets bench coach since the 2024 season and worked closely with manager Carlos Mendoza.

The native of Montana was the Blue Jays manager for two different stints. The first lasted from 2004 to 2008 while the other lasted from 2013 until 2018. The Blue Jays finally made the playoffs during his second tenure as they reached the ALCS in both 2015 and 2016. Those playoff clubs helped to revitalize the interest in the Blue Jays throughout Canada. It feels like the 2025 team rejuvenated the fanbase in a similar manner.

Rehiring Gibbons would be seamless because of his intimate knowledge of the Toronto market. He probably still remembers many of the employees and media members who cover the team. Similar to Ross, Gibbons will do his best to instill a positive atmosphere throughout the clubhouse. The only real question is whether Gibbons still has that fire in the belly to take on another major league coaching job.