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The Toronto Blue Jays are sticking with their management team, but their bench might be down a key figure next season.

According to a report by Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly is being considered as a candidate to take over as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers.

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When fired by the Blue Jays, Mattingly was seen by many as an eventual replacement for John Schneider, with betting sites posting odds during a mid-season slump on when the Yankees great would take over managerial duties.

This week, the Brewers saw Craig Counsell leave to take over the same position with NL Central rival the Chicago Cubs after his contract expired following the 2023 season.

Counsell led the Brewers for nine seasons, guiding the team to three division titles and five playoff appearances. This past season, the Brewers won the division with a 92-70 record before losing in the wild-card round to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s a finalist for the National League manager of the year award, which will be announced next week.

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His five-year, $40-million deal with the Cubs is the highest for a manager in the league.

Among other candidates, according to Rosenthal, are Milwaukee bench oach Pat Murphy, Astros bench coach Joe Espada, Dodgers 1B coach Clayton McCullough, Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker and former Brewers infielder Rickie Weeks.

Mattingly, a six-time all-star and 1985 MVP during his playing days, has previously managed the L.A. Dodgers from 2011-15 and the Miami Marlins from 2016-22. He has an overall record of 889-950, which is largely weighed down by his time in South Florida.

The interest from the Brewers puts Jays brass in a dilemma: Do they give Mattingly a promotion or a raise to keep him around, or let him walk and lose out on an insurance plan in case Schneider doesn’t pan out?

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