The tenure of now former Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson ended when the club fired him on April 28. Thomson took over as manager after Joe Girardi was fired on June 3, 2022. While it did not end how anyone wanted it to Thomson is one of the best managers in Phillies history. It was time for a change in leadership but that does not negate anything Thomson did for the club. Thomson still spoke to the media after being fired in a rare move. That says a lot about Thomson as a person. Thomson said during the press conference that he did it because he wanted to show accountability and do things the right way. Say what you will about Thomson the manager, but Thomson the person is first class.
While Thomson leaves without leading this core to a World Series title there is a lot to be proud of. To put things into perspective the Phillies have 18 postseason appearances in franchise history. Thomson was the manager for four of those teams. Additionally the Phillies have eight National League pennants in their history. Thomson managed one of those teams. Charlie Manuel and Thomson are the two managers in Phillies history to have led the team to the postseason four years in a row. Thomson, Manuel and Danny Ozark are the three managers to have led the Phillies to consecutive NLCS appearances. Thomson finished his tenure with a 355-270 record across three full seasons and parts of two others.
Tenure Of Former Phillies Manager
Ranking In Phillies History
Thomson ranks 10th on the Phillies all-time managerial wins list and is one of 12 with at least 300 wins. To add to that Thomson has the best winning percentage among Phillies managers who led the team for at least three seasons. Thomson also leads in winning percentage among Phillies managers since 1900. Manuel is the lone manager to complete their Phillies tenure more wins above .500 than Thomson. Furthermore Thomson is one of 14 skippers in Phillies history to have managed at least 600 games. The 270 losses Thomson had are the fewest amongst that group. Thomson is one of four managers in that group to have led the Phillies to a division title.
What Thomson Inherited
One of the most improbable World Series runs in recent memory belongs to the 2022 Phillies. Thomson after taking over for Girardi in the middle of the season led the team to their first postseason appearance since 2011. The Phillies had been abysmal from 2012 to 2021. From 2015 to 2017 the team had three consecutive 90 loss seasons. Of those teams the 2016 Phillies who went 71-91 were the best of the three. The team looked lifeless for much of that span before Thomson took over. Thomson led a team that was 22-29 when he took over to a 65-46 record the rest of the way. The vibes were at an all-time high as the team had some youthful energy. Thomson was more laid back and let them play free compared to the uptight Girardi.
The 2022 Postseason Run
The 2022 Phillies were the last team in the NL postseason field. After beating the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card Series they advanced to the NLDS. The team then best the rival Atlanta Braves in the NLDS in four games. Then the team faced the San Diego Padres in the NLCS winning the series in five games to advance to the World Series for the first time since 2009. Against the Houston Astros the underdog Phillies took a 2-1 series lead after a commanding Game 3 win. While the Astros went on to win the series in six games the 2022 Phillies reenergized a fanbase. Thomson brought the team back into prominence. Baseball was fun again in Philadelphia. This is what Thomson should be remembered for. Thank you for the ride of a lifetime Topper.
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
