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Phillies Fire Thomson, Name Mattingly Interim Manager

4/29/2026

Summary

Phillies Fire Manager

The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson after a 9-19 start, the league’s worst record.
General manager Dave Dombrowski named bench coach Don Mattingly interim manager through 2026 and promoted Dusty Wathan and Anthony Contreras as bench and third-base coaches.
The team recorded a .219 batting average, 102 runs and a 5.13 ERA, and released pitcher Taijuan Walker after 23 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings.

Summary

Mattingly Interim Manager

Don Mattingly was named interim manager, creating MLB’s first father-son general manager/manager pair with his son Preston.
The Phillies offered the job to former Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who declined, and opened the season 9-19 despite a projected 2026 payroll of over $315 million, marking their worst start since 2002.
The dismissal is the fourth mid-season firing in 13 years and occurs as Philadelphia prepares to host the 2026 All-Star Game.

Summary

Phillies Dismiss Thomson

The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson after 28 games, the fourth-quickest dismissal of 2026.
The move followed the Boston Red Sox’s termination of Alex Cora on April 25, creating back-to-back early firings.
Thomson’s 28-game firing is the fastest since Nick Leyva’s 11-game dismissal in 1991, beating Charlie Manuel’s 120-game ouster in 2013.
Five clubs have changed managers before 40 games in 2026, indicating a league-wide trend toward swift replacements.

History

Historical Context

After the Chicago Cubs dismissed Don Zimmer on May 21 1991—part of a season that saw a record 13 managers fired—the franchise cemented a pattern of swift changes. The same aggressive approach reappeared in 2026 when the Philadelphia Phillies removed Rob Thomson after a 9-19 start, installing Don Mattingly as interim, reflecting an era of accelerated managerial turnover.

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Phillies Fire Manager

The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson after a 9-19 start, the league’s worst record.
General manager Dave Dombrowski named bench coach Don Mattingly interim manager through 2026 and promoted Dusty Wathan and Anthony Contreras as bench and third-base coaches.
The team recorded a .219 batting average, 102 runs and a 5.13 ERA, and released pitcher Taijuan Walker after 23 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings.

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