Don Mattingly to return as Dodgers hitting coach

Don Mattingly will resume his duties as Los Angeles Dodgers hitting coach after the All-Star break.

Mattingly, hired as part of new manager Joe Torre's staff during the offseason, asked to be switched from hitting coach to major league special assignment coach, citing family reasons.

Mike Easler, who has filled in as hitting coach on an interim basis, will remain with the Dodgers organization in another capacity.

The 1985 AL MVP during a New York Yankees career that lasted from 1982-95, Mattingly had spent the past four seasons as a coach under Torre with the Yankees. After Torre left New York, Mattingly lost out to Joe Girardi for the club's managerial job and followed Torre to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers have been struggling at the plate and went into Wednesday night's game against Atlanta next-to-last in the NL in home runs (61), slugging percentage (.377) and total bases (229). Despite the lack of offense and the fact that they were two games under .500, the Dodgers are fighting Arizona for the NL West lead.

Torre said he's kept in close touch with Mattingly and left the decision up to him when to resume the hitting coach role.

"When Mike came on board, he was basically holding the fort down until Donnie was able to join us on a full-time basis, and this is that time," Torre said. "So we just let Mike know last night that this was going to happen and thanked him for all the time and effort he's put in.

"Donnie and I have been together for a few years now and he was one of the guys, along with Larry Bowa, that I felt was necessary to come along with me. So I feel like we're getting a little more whole in that area. Donnie brings a lot to the table, not only the hitting aspect."

Mattingly was named hitting coach on Nov. 16, 2007, and replaced by Easler on an interim basis in January.

Torre said he was confident that Mattingly will complete the season on the job.

"We did a lot of talking about this, and I know there's no hesitation as far as being here. He wouldn't have made this decision unless he could do it on a full-time basis," the manager said.

One of the best hitters of his era, Mattingly batted .307 with 222 homers and 1,099 RBIs in 14 seasons with the Yankees. He won the AL batting title with a .343 average in 1984 and was the '85 MVP, hitting 35 homers and driving in 145 runs.

A six-time All-Star, he was Torre's bench coach in New York last year and was the Yankees' batting coach from 2004-06.

Easler previously served as a hitting coach in the Dodgers minor league system.