Don Mattingly intends to honor contract for next year, his agent says

Some of the suspense has been removed from the unexpected Don Mattingly managerial storm.

His agent, Ray Schulte, said Wednesday that Mattingly intends to honor his contract and manage the Dodgers next season, though he would still like to pursue an extension.

At Monday’s end-of-the-season news conference, Mattingly announced the option for his contract in 2014 automatically vested when the Dodgers advanced to the National League Championship Series, but added somewhat ominously, “That doesn’t mean I’ll be back.”

But an obviously wounded Mattingly went on to bemoan having to manage as a lame duck and how he felt he was still auditioning for the job in his third season as the Dodgers’ manager.

“I like being here,” Mattingly said, “but I don’t want to be anywhere you’re not wanted.”

Despite the option year vesting, that left open the possibility that Mattingly might not return if he did not receive a multiyear contract.

“He’s going to honor it,” Schulte said.

Schulte said nothing had changed with Mattingly since he cast doubts about his future with the team at Monday’s news conference.

“Donnie’s always been a man of his word, and he’s under contract,” he said.

The Dodgers did fire Mattingly’s bench coach, and friend, Trey Hillman on Tuesday. Mattingly has returned to his home in Indiana, and Schulte said he has been in contact with General Manager Ned Colletti. He said Mattingly has yet to talk with the team’s president, Stan Kasten, about his future, but hoped to soon.

“It’s totally up to Stan,” Schulte said. “Nothing’s scheduled yet. Donnie’s fine with that. Donnie knows he’s going to talk to him. It’s a long offseason.”

Mattingly’s comments on Monday caught the Dodgers by surprise, but he did succeed in publicly making it very clear he did not prefer to return without an extension.

“He feels that’s good for the organization as well as his security,” Schulte said.