The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday following a disastrous stretch that saw the team lose 11 of 12 games, leaving them tied for last place in the major leagues. Bench coach Don Mattingly was named interim manager for the remainder of the season, and third base coach Dusty Wathan was promoted to bench coach.
Mattingly now works under his son, Preston Mattingly, who serves as the Phillies' general manager, marking what is believed to be the first father-son GM/manager combination in baseball history.
Thomson, 62, compiled a 355-270 record and led the Phillies to four consecutive postseason appearances, including a World Series run in 2022. The team, featuring high-priced stars like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner, won consecutive division titles under his guidance. Thomson signed a contract extension in the offseason that runs through 2027.
However, the Phillies, with a payroll exceeding $300 million, have been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball this season. After losing 10 straight games, ace Zack Wheeler led them to a win against Atlanta on Saturday, but they lost the next day, falling to 9-19 overall, tied with the New York Mets.
Thomson became the second manager fired in baseball this season, following the Boston Red Sox's dismissal of Alex Cora and five coaches on Saturday.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had given Thomson a vote of confidence last week but ultimately decided to make a change after speaking with Cora about the managerial vacancy. Dombrowski noted that Cora declined due to family considerations.
Thomson took over as manager in 2022 after Joe Girardi was fired and led the Phillies to the World Series, where they lost to the Houston Astros in six games. The team regressed in subsequent postseasons, losing in the NL Championship Series in 2023 and the NL Division Series in 2024 and 2025.
Nicknamed "Topper" for his attention to detail, Thomson joined the Phillies as bench coach in 2018 under Gabe Kapler. He previously spent 28 seasons with the New York Yankees, including 10 years on the major league coaching staff.
Thomson was only the fourth manager in MLB history to reach the postseason in each of his first four full seasons, joining Dave Roberts, Aaron Boone, and Mike Matheny. He also became only the third Phillies manager to win consecutive division titles, alongside Charlie Manuel and Danny Ozark.
The Phillies' struggles have been widespread, with regulars Alec Bohm and Kyle Schwarber batting below .200, and starters Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Andrew Painter posting ERAs above 5.00. The team recently released Taijuan Walker in the final year of his $72 million contract and released Nick Castellanos in February.
The Phillies have not won the World Series since 2008 and had not made the playoffs since 2011 until Thomson's 2022 run rejuvenated the fanbase.
Don Mattingly, a former New York Yankees star, now faces the challenge of reviving the Phillies' season. Mattingly, who has spent 23 consecutive seasons as a major league manager or coach, previously managed the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-2015) and Miami Marlins (2016-2022), winning NL Manager of the Year in 2020. He had planned to retire after leaving the Toronto Blue Jays but changed his mind to join the Phillies and work with his son.
Mattingly played 14 seasons for the Yankees, earning six All-Star selections and the 1985 AL MVP award. He captained the team in his final five seasons.
The father-son dynamic in Philadelphia baseball has historical precedent: Hall of Famer Connie Mack managed and owned the Philadelphia Athletics, and his son Earle managed 125 games in 1937 and 1939 when his father was ill.
Mattingly expressed excitement about the possibility of winning his first World Series ring while working alongside his son, calling it "incredible." Now, he aims to lead the Phillies to the postseason.
