Phillies make expected Rob Thomson decision

The Philadelphia Phillies, tied with the New York Mets for the worst record in Major League Baseball (9-19) to start the 2026 season, have fired manager Rob Thomson, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Thomson, 62, has led the team since taking over for Joe Girardi during the 2022 season.  

Rob Thomson had a solid tenure with the Phillies 

Thomson's tenure with Philadelphia has been solid despite the poor start to 2026. Thomson ranks 10th in Phillies history with 355 wins and led the club to the 2022 World Series after Girardi's dismissal, losing in six games to the Houston Astros. Thomson led the team to three more playoff appearances (2023-25), including a loss last season in the NLDS to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  

Per a press release issued by the Phillies, bench coach Don Mattingly will serve as interim manager for the duration of the 2026 season. Third base coach Dusty Wathan will take Mattingly’s place as bench coach, with Triple-A manager Anthony Contreras joining the staff to handle third base coaching duties. 

Thomson is the second manager to be fired this season, with the Boston Red Sox also firing manager Alex Cora over the weekend. Cora has strong ties to the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, who originally hired Cora to the job in 2018. Dombrowski and Cora would go on to win the 2018 World Series together. Speculation that the two could reunite in Philadelphia has already begun, though it seems likely any such hiring would wait until the offseason.  

Rob Thomson paid the price for Dave Dombrowski’s poor roster construction 

While firing Thomson may send a shockwave through the team's clubhouse, as he was well-liked among players, the group has still failed to produce. The Phillies' offense ranks near the bottom of the league in batting average (.219) and OPS (.625), while scoring the third-fewest runs (102). 

The pitching staff hasn't been much better, with the third-worst ERA (5.13) and third-most runs allowed (156). Right-hander Aaron Nola and left-hander Jesus Luzardo have especially struggled, with Nola at 1-3 with a 6.03 ERA through six starts and Luzardo at 1-3 with a 6.91 ERA. 

Dombrowski did little to supplement the roster this offseason, opting to re-sign designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (five years, $150 million) and catcher J.T. Realmuto (three years, $45 million). During Dombrowski’s tenure, he has released eight of his free agent signings, with right-hander Taijuan Walker being the latest. 

Thomson is no longer around to take the blame for Philadelphia's struggles. The players will now need to step up and produce.