Phillies’ Don Mattingly Facing Backlash After Loss to Marlins

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Phillies’ Don Mattingly Facing Backlash After Loss to Marlins

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Tate Mosher | Last updated Jul 29, 2026 4:28 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies lost Wednesday’s game to the Miami Marlins by a score of 8-6. They led 6-0 entering the Marlins’ half of the fifth, but could not seal the win as starter Jesús Luzardo started to crumble after a couple times through the order and was left in too long.

The Phillies fell to 57-52 following the loss. They were swept by the Marlins, losing Monday 8-7 on a blown save opportunity, then Tuesday 1-0 in an offensive implosion. Miami had previously lost 12 games in a row before the series.

Philadelphia has won only three of their 12 games since the second half started. They have plummeted to six games behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the National League East and are holding onto a Wild Card spot for dear life.

After Wednesday’s game, Matt Gelb of The Athletic made a post on X summarizing what has been going on with the team. The replies were full of animosity for interim manager Don Mattingly.

Phillies blow a six-run lead and lose. Plenty of bad losses this season, but this one is up there. They are 3-9 since the All-Star break. The Marlins, who had lost 12 straight, sweep Phillies.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) July 29, 2026

One fan said, “I need to see Mattingly working at Wawa tomorrow.”

Another said, “Donny baseball is not the answer.”

Another said, “Sorry [expletive] team 3-8 since the all star break. Can we fire the interim manager?”

The fans’ dislike of Mattingly is a bit of a novelty, seeing as he took over as manager in late April. He had the team playing well up until the break, but things have now taken a turn for the worse.

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The team is currently in playoff position, so it would be hard to imagine they sell at the Aug. 3 trade deadline. This stretch should give them a good sense of what is needed to improve the team and have it ready to compete for a World Series.

The offense, for the most part, has been disappointing. Their .702 team OPS ranks 23rd in MLB. They hit a good amount of home runs, but do not walk much (7.8% rate, 28th in MLB).

The bullpen has been a frequent issue during Bryce Harper’s Phillies tenure, and this season it has remained mediocre. It has an ERA of 4.24, 19th in MLB. That will need to be addressed at the deadline.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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