Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday axed manager Rob Thomson, jettisoning him after a punishing stretch of 11 losses in 12 games. The team, now saddled with a 9-19 record, finds itself among baseball's worst. Don Mattingly, previously the bench coach, has been installed as the interim manager for the remainder of the 2026 season.
The Phillies reportedly offered the managerial position to Alex Cora, who was recently let go by the Boston Red Sox. Cora declined the offer, citing a desire for more family time, a decision confirmed by Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. This move marks the second managerial change in MLB this week, following Boston's decision on Cora.
Mattingly, a veteran of 23 seasons as a major league manager or coach, had previously indicated a leaning towards retirement. He joined the Phillies in the offseason as bench coach, having served in a similar capacity with the Toronto Blue Jays. His long history includes captaining the New York Yankees for five seasons.
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Thomson's tenure with the Phillies spanned nearly four years, during which the team reached the playoffs annually. However, a perceived decline from a pennant win to subsequent early playoff exits in the last two seasons appears to have contributed to his dismissal. The team has also been impacted by injuries, including ace Zack Wheeler's surgery last year.
