Dodgers trying to keep pitching coach Rick Honeycutt with multi-year deal, per reports

The Dodgers haven't yet picked their next manager, but it sounds like the longest-tenured coach on the staff could still be around. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt is in talks on a multi-year contract to remain with the team, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com and Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.

Per Morosi, Honeycutt is expected to remain pitching coach for two seasons, then move into a special assistant position.

When the club and manager Don Mattingly mutually agreed to part ways on Oct. 15, Dodgers president of baseball operations said he told the entire coaching staff, whose contracts were set to expire, they were free to look elsewhere, rather than wait to see if the new manager might keep them around.

"To the extent that that happens and something lines up for them and their family, we understand," Friedman said. "To the extent that they're still available when we hire a manager, that will be a conversation we'll have with the new manager at that time."

But with Mattingly reportedly agreeing to a four-year deal to manage the Marlins, a deal that isn't yet official though likely will be after the World Series, he is said to want Honeycutt and potentially bench coach Tim Wallach to join him in Miami, per Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times.

It is understandable the Dodgers would want to keep Honeycutt around. In his 10 seasons as pitching coach, the Dodgers lead MLB in ERA (3.66), FIP (3.70), xFIP (3.79), SIERA (3.76), strikeouts (12,605), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.55), strikeout rate (20.7 percent), K-BB% (12.6 percent), WHIP (1.269), opponents batting average (.242), ERA- (94), FIP- (92) and fWAR (199.6).

The 61-year-old Honeycutt, who pitched in the big leagues for 21 years, has been with the Dodgers for the last 15 years, beginning as a minor league pitching consultant in 2001 then as a minor league pitching coordinator from 2002-2005 before becoming pitching coach in 2006.

The only three major league pitching coaches to have been in their current roles longer than Honeycutt are Dave Righetti (Giants pitching coach since 2000), Don Cooper (White Sox, 2002) and Darren Balsley (Padres, 2003).

The only Dodgers pitching coaches with a longer tenure than Honeycutt are Ron Perranoski (1981-94), Red Adams (1969-80) and Joe Becker (1955-65).