This week it has been revealed that Don Mattingly wants Phillies to keep him as manger beyond the 2026 season. Mattingly took over as interim manager after the Phillies fired Rob Thomson on April 28. After a 9-19 start under Thomson, the Phillies are 43-23 since Mattingly took over on April 28. The Milwaukee Brewers are the lone team with a higher winning percentage than the Phillies in that span. Since Mattingly took over Brandon Marsh has become an All-Star everyday player and Bryson Stott has solidified himself as the everyday second baseman. This is a departure from the constant platoons under Thomson.
There was speculation that Mattingly was not going to be a potential managerial replacement for Thomson in the lead up to the move being made. Mattingly made comments during spring training claiming that he did not want to manage again. After Mattingly took over for Thomson he clarified that he was not trying to undermine Thomson. Prior to joining the Phillies, Mattingly had two prior stints as a manager with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Miami Marlins. Mattingly had been serving as a bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays and Phillies since his last full time managerial job before getting this interim role.
Don Mattingly Wants Phillies Managerial Job Long Term
Rumors About An0ther Potential Candidate
On July 5, Bob Nightengale reported that Alex Cora is still the front runner to be Phillies manager in 2027. Cora was fired as manager of the Boston Red Sox on April 25. The Phillies reached out to Cora on April 26 to see if he would be interested in taking over the Phillies for the remainder of the 2026 season. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was in charge of the Red Sox front office when Cora was hired before the 2018 season. While Mattingly wants Phillies to remove the interim tag if Dombrowski chooses to do that, hiring Cora is tempting given his previous World Series championship in 2018.
The Timeline For Making This Decision And Prior History
Dombrowski should wait until after the 2026 season to decide who will manage the Phillies going forward. While Matingly wants Phillies to name him manager and has changed his tune on his willingness to do so, how the team finishes the season will play a role in this decision. After the Phillies fired Joe Girardi in 2022, Thomson led the team to the World Series before being named manager long term. It is possible the same thing happens with Mattingly in 2026. Thomson was supposed to retire after the 2022 season but changed his mind after taking over as interim manager. This is another potential parallel between 2022 and 2026.
Who Else Could Be In The Mix
While Mattingly wants Phillies managerial job for 2027 and Cora is expected to be a candidate other names could enter the mix. Mattingly or Cora will likely end up as the Phillies manager in 2027 and beyond. However, if the season ends poorly and the Phillies decide not to keep Mattingly they will need backup options with Cora being the top managerial candidate. The New York Mets have also been mentioned as a possible destination for Cora. If the New York Yankees decide to move on from Aaron Boone, for example, the equation could change. There are a lot of unknowns right now and time will tell what happens going forward.
Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
