Yankees' Don Mattingly decision likely had a horrible roster side effect

Circumstances with Cody Bellinger have grown more nerve-wracking for the New York Yankees since the Christmas Day report indicating that they weren’t worried at all about losing Belli. Brian Cashman has now presented two different offers to Bellinger (according to reports), but the outfielder remains unsigned and pursued by the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and others. With the surety of Bellinger slipping away, the Yankees are suddenly hot on the trail of Bo Bichette, per The New York Post’s Jon Heyman. 

New York’s interest in Bichette was viewed as mere fodder for the rumor mill only days ago, but now it’s transformed into something very real in light of the Bellinger situation. As a result, the Yankees might be kicking themselves right now for not even considering hiring franchise legend Don Mattingly as a bench coach, with new reports indicating that Mattingly’s hiring in Philadelphia has Bichette eyeing the Phillies (Bo is close with Mattingly).

The Yankees didn’t consider hiring Don Mattingly, and now it might cost them Bo Bichette

Mattingly became a free agent bench coach shortly after the World Series, when he announced that he was leaving the Toronto Blue Jays but not retiring. Then and there, the Yankees seemed like a great fit. Beyond his obvious ties to the Yankees franchise, Mattingly is, by all accounts, awesome with players and adds tangible value to a clubhouse. This wouldn’t have been a ceremonial hire by the Yankees at all. There’s a reason organizations as serious as the Phillies and Blue Jays have sought out Mattingly.

For whatever reason, the Yankees weren’t interested, and now that disinterest is ironically coming back to bite them amid the Bichette sweepstakes. Bichette’s close relationship with Mattingly has been brought up by multiple writers and insiders in recent days, now that Bo reportedly has a meeting set with the Phillies for Monday (per Heyman). Heyman wrote that there’s “strong mutual interest” between Bichette and Philly, following that statement up directly by noting that, “Bichette has a great relationship from Toronto with new Phillies bench coach Don Mattingly.”

New York Daily News’ Bill Madden described the Phillies as the “favorites” to sign Bichette, writing that this status “started once they signed Don Mattingly - Bo’s guy - as bench coach.” Notably, Heyman also listed the Phillies as the top landing spot for Bichette among a handful of other suitors, including the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and incumbent Blue Jays. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale has also acknowledged the Bichette-Mattingly connection as a consequential factor.

The clock is ticking on what could become a massive Yankees blunder if they lose out on Bellinger and Bichette while Mattingly enjoys the Cashman disasterclass in his Phillies hat. Of course, the Yanks could make this all go away by just finalizing a deal with Belli. Time for contract offer No. 3, perhaps?