If Bryce Harper's 'I Ride With Philly Rob' T-shirt wasn't enough to convince you how the Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse feels about interim manager Rob Thomson, there's more.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote a feature piece on the Phillies attempting to hold onto their playoff position during the final month of the season, which would allow them to play in the postseason for the first time since 2011.
In the story, Nick Castellanos had high praise for Thomson.
"We couldn't have asked for a better guy to step up and take Joe's place," Castellanos said, referring to Thomson replacing Joe Girardi in early June. "He's just been lights out in every facet. I feel like managing the game, every decision he's made is always right, as well as his temperature in the clubhouse.
"Every time that he's had to come in and say something to us, it's been right on time."
The Phillies are a team of transplants, which can make building a clubhouse culture difficult, especially when Thomson inherited a 22-29 record. Aaron Nola, Rhys Hoskins and Alec Bohm were Phillies draft picks, but Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Zack Wheeler, Kyle Schwarber, Jean Segura and Castellanos have all played for at least one other team. They've seen different managerial styles, including earlier this year with a more intense Girardi. Thomson doesn't seem to get too high or too low, and that's just what this Phillies team has needed.
Since Thomson took over as manager, the Phillies are 51-29. They are going to have to exorcise some demons in September, a month where they haven't posted a winning record since 2017. But if they are able to do that and snap the longest postseason drought in the National League, Thomson's long-term future with the team will probably take care of itself.
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