Phillies reportedly checked with Chase Utley, Raúl Ibañez about manager position before signing Don Mattingly

The Philadelphia Phillies officially appointed Don Mattingly as their full-time manager on Wednesday, signing him to a two-year contract. However, according to The Athletic's Jayson Stark, the team first sought input from two other potential candidates before making the final decision.

The Phillies reached out to Chase Utley and Raúl Ibañez, both former star players, for their opinions on the managerial position. Utley, who is currently a special assistant to the Dodgers, declined to discuss the role. Ibañez, serving as the Dodgers' vice president of baseball development and special projects, also turned down the request.

Utley expressed his lack of interest in the managerial position, citing family commitments and his current satisfaction with his role with the Phillies. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Utley spent 16 seasons with the team, winning a World Series championship in 2008 and earning several division titles and All-Star selections. He is a key figure in Phillies history, ranking among the top 10 in team history for hits, home runs, RBIs, and extra-base hits.

Ibañez, a 19-year veteran, also decided against pursuing the managerial role. He had previously interviewed for the Tampa Bay Rays' managerial position before Kevin Cash was appointed. During his time with the Phillies from 2009 to 2011, Ibañez posted a .264/.329/.469 batting average, with 70 home runs and 260 RBIs in 433 games. He contributed to three NL East championships, a World Series, and an NLCS appearance with Philadelphia.

Following the announcement of Mattingly's hiring, the Phillies announced that Carlos Mendoza, a former New York Mets manager, would join Mattingly's coaching staff as the third-base and infield coach.