The Philadelphia Phillies officially dismissed manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday, following a dismal 9-19 start to the 2026 season.
Despite leading the team to four straight postseason appearances and a World Series berth in 2022, a recent stretch where the club lost 11 of 12 games forced the front office to act.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who just last week stated a change was “not being pondered at this point,” decided a shift was necessary after the team fell into a tie for the worst record in the majors.
Bench coach Don Mattingly had been named the interim manager for the remainder of the season.
The move creates a unique family dynamic, as Mattingly will now work directly under his son, Phillies General Manager Preston Mattingly.
Reflecting on the decision, Dombrowski noted that while “Rob Thomson’s been a good manager for us,” the team’s performance was unacceptable.
He admitted, “Shoot, I’m responsible for putting the club on the field, so I’m not happy with the way it’s going.”
Thomson leaves with a 355-270 record, the highest winning percentage in modern franchise history.
Mattingly now takes the reins of a high-priced roster desperate to save its season.
