Philadelphia Phillies Fire Manager Rob Thomson After 9-19 Start
The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday following a 9-19 start to the 2026 season. Bench coach Don Mattingly has been named interim manager for the remainder of the season. The decision came after former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora declined an offer to take the position.
"Due diligence." — Rob Thomson on Dave Dombrowski's conversation with Alex Cora.
Managerial Change and Coaching Staff Restructure
The Phillies dismissed Thomson following a 10-game losing streak, the team's longest since 1999. Don Mattingly, whose son Preston Mattingly serves as the Phillies' general manager, was promoted from bench coach to interim manager.
The team also announced the following coaching changes:
- Dusty Wathan was promoted from third base coach to bench coach.
- Anthony Contreras was promoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley manager to third base coach.
According to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the team is not planning to hire a permanent manager before the end of the season.
Rob Thomson's Tenure
Thomson, 62, was initially hired as interim manager in June 2022 after the dismissal of Joe Girardi. He led the Phillies to a World Series appearance that year and was subsequently given a full-time contract. The team extended his contract through 2027 in December 2025.
Under Thomson's leadership:
- The Phillies won 90, 95, and 96 games from 2023–2025.
- They won the National League East division titles in 2024 and 2025.
- They lost in the National League Championship Series in 2023 and were eliminated in the Division Series in 2024 and 2025.
- Thomson posted a .568 winning percentage in parts of five seasons, the highest of any Phillies manager since the 19th century.
- He is the fourth manager in MLB history to reach the postseason in each of his first four full seasons.
The 2026 season began with a 9-19 record, and the team has experienced struggles across offense, defense, and pitching.
Alex Cora's Rejection
Alex Cora, 50, was fired by the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. Multiple sources reported that the Phillies offered Cora the managerial position, but he declined.
Dave Dombrowski stated he discussed the job with Cora on Sunday. By Monday, it was clear Cora intended to prioritize spending time with his family in Puerto Rico. According to a person briefed on Cora's thinking, he believed the Phillies would not get his best performance if he took the role so soon after his dismissal from Boston.
Cora and Dombrowski have a professional history dating back to their time with the Red Sox, where they won the 2018 World Series. Dombrowski built that Red Sox team as president of baseball operations.
Cora's contract with the Red Sox runs through 2027 at $7.25 million annually. Under standard MLB contract terms, the Red Sox will continue to pay Cora unless he takes another managerial job, in which case the new team's salary would be subtracted from Boston's obligations. According to reporting by Mark Feinsand, any hiring team must pay "fair market value" to hire Cora.
Thomson told reporters he had no issue with Dombrowski's conversation with Cora, describing it as "due diligence."
Potential Future Scenarios
Cora is expected to be a popular candidate for managerial openings next offseason, according to multiple league sources. The connection between Cora and Dombrowski may resurface if the Phillies seek a permanent manager after the 2026 season.