Thomson Out, Mattingly In as Phillies Manager.
Make no mistake- Philadelphia Phillies struggles in 2026 don’t fall solely on Rob Thomson.
In professional sports, when things go sideways, the first, and often easiest move, is a change at manager. That’s the reality of the game. But anyone with a real baseball IQ understands this roster has clear flaws, and those issues didn’t just appear overnight.
That responsibility lands squarely on Dave Dombrowski. He signed off on Aaron Nola’s contract, which right now looks like a major liability, and doubled down on running Taijuan Walker out there despite countless rough outings- all while knowing Zack Wheeler wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day.
On top of that, he built a roster that appears to have aged faster than anyone expected.
Rob Thomson took the fall, and he wasn't perfect either, but the foundation of these problems was constructed well above the dugout.
Aside from roster construction, let’s be honest- the Philadelphia Phillies have flat-out underachieved. That falls on the players. Rob Thomson isn’t in the box taking awful at-bats, and he’s not on the mound getting hit around. At some point, the guys on the field own it.
That said, Thomson isn’t completely off the hook. I have had issues with lineup construction and how he’s managed the staff. The example in Atlanta stands out- Aaron Nola getting shelled early, no one even stirring in the bullpen, despite an off day looming. In the middle of your worst stretch of the season, it felt like waving the white flag just to preserve arms. At least to me, it felt like there was no sense of urgency when the moment called for it.
Unfortunately for Rob Thomson, he’s out, and Don Mattingly is taking over. Notably, before making the move, Dave Dombrowski reportedly offered the job to Alex Cora following his departure from the Boston Red Sox, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
Will the move to Don Mattingly make a difference? It can, but only if he’s willing to shake things up- and I don't see how he couldn't.
I would start with riding hot bats. Brandon Marsh has been scorching- hitting over .320 against right-handed pitching, and deserves a look at the top of the lineup in those matchups. I would follow Marsh with Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper behind him.
But against lefties, it’s a different story for Brandon Marsh- he simply hasn’t shown he can hit them.
That’s where Edmundo Sosa gets the nod. He becomes the everyday second baseman and your leadoff hitter versus left-handed pitching. Bryson Stott takes a seat on the bench until further notice...right alongside Alec Bohm. Third base can be handled by a mix of Dylan Moore and Otto Kemp.
A new manager only matters if it leads to real change.
Let’s see if Don Mattingly is willing to shake things up...or we might have to park the Floats.
