Blue Jays manager John Schneider now has one of his favorite players growing up as his bench coach

"Donnie Baseball" spent his entire 14-year MLB playing career with the New York Yankees from 1982 to 1995, winning an AL MVP award, nine Gold Gloves and earning six All-Star nods. Mattingly served as the Yankees captain from 1991 until his retirement in 1995.

Schneider -- who took over as Toronto's interim manager last season -- was born in Princeton, N.J. in 1980, so Mattingly's playing days would have overlapped much of his childhood. Schneider and the Blue Jays agreed to a three-year contract with an option for the 2026 season in October.

Mattingly was the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2011 to 2015, before being hired by the Miami Marlins in 2016. He was named NL Manager of the Year after the 2020 pandemic-shortened campaign, but it was reported in September that he wouldn't be returning to the club in 2023.

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported earlier this week that the YES Network had both Mattingly and another former captain in the Bronx (Derek Jeter) on their "wish list" as potential broadcasters for next season. Instead, Schneider will have one of his heroes from his younger days sitting just feet away from him in the dugout of one of the Yankees' biggest rivals.