The Toronto Blue Jays are heading to the World Series, and they’re bringing along a Yankees legend who never got his shot in pinstripes.
Don Mattingly, the Blue Jays’ bench coach, is finally going to his first Fall Classic after Toronto’s Game 7 ALCS victory. He’ll face the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in what has to feel like a long time coming.
Don Mattingly is going to his first World Series! pic.twitter.com/m69CkaQOAK
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) October 21, 2025
That smile says everything.
It’s one of baseball’s cruel ironies. The Yankees and World Series appearances went hand in hand for decades, but Donny Baseball never made it there during his playing days. The franchise won it all in 1996 – his first year of retirement.
Now he’s getting his chance wearing different colors in the AL East.
Yankees fans will have mixed feelings watching this one. Mattingly remains a fan favorite from his 1982-1995 run in the Bronx, where he hit .307 with a batting title, an MVP award, six All-Star selections, and nine Gold Gloves.
The Yankees found him in the 19th round of the 1979 draft out of an Evansville-area high school. What a find that turned out to be.
All things considered, it’s pretty cool to see Mattingly finally get his World Series moment. Even if it’s not in pinstripes, Donny Baseball deserves this shot at a championship ring.
