PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Phillies have fired manager Rob Thomson, the organization announced on Tuesday. Bench coach Don Mattingly has been named interim manager through the end of the 2026 season.
The Phillies fired Thomson following the team’s brutal 9-19 start to the season. They lost 11 of their last 12 games, which included a stretch of 10 in a row.
Thomson was the manager of the Phils for parts of five seasons, including a memorable National League pennant in 2022 and back-to-back division titles in 2024 and 2025. The Phillies made four postseasons in a row and were one win from going back to the World Series in 2023, but lost a heartbreaking seven-game NLCS to Arizona.
Thomson had been with the organization since 2018, when he was hired as Gabe Kapler’s bench coach. He continued in that role under Joe Girardi before replacing Girardi in June 2022.
Mattingly, now the 57th manager in club history, is in his first year with the Phillies. The 65-year-old was hired as a bench coach in January.
He has spent each of the last 23 seasons on a major league staff. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers for five seasons and the Miami Marlins for seven. In 2020, he led the Marlins to their first postseason appearance since 2003. He was named the 2020 National League Manager of the Year.
As a player, Mattingly spent 14 seasons with the Yankees, from 1982 to 1995.
His son, Preston, currently serves as vice president and general manager of the Phillies.
Also among the shakeup: Dusty Wathan, who has served as third base coach since 2018, has been promoted to bench coach. Anthony Contreras, manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs since 2022, will assume third base coach responsibilities. Chris Adamson, Lehigh Valley bench coach since 2024, has been named manager of the IronPigs.
Don Mattingly will step in as interim manager through end of 2026 season
Don Mattingly will step in as interim manager through end of 2026 season
