Rob Thomson Will Get Philadelphia Phillies in Contention for World Series Title
Rob Thomson was the right choice at just the right time.
He still is.
Thomson can be directly tied to the Philadelphia Phillies' success over the past two seasons.
While last season's playoff run came to a crashing halt with losses to the Arizona Diamondbacks in Games 6 and 7 in the National League Championship Series, Thomson's approach didn't change.
The organization rewarded the manager with an extension through the 2025 season.
It was well deserved.
In 2022, he was elevated from bench coach to interim manager when the Phillies limped to a 21-29 start under Joe Girardi. Then “Philly Rob” guided the team to within two victories of a World Series title. The transformation was truly amazing considering how poorly Philadelphia had played through those 50 regular season games.
Last season, the Phillies looked primed for a return trip to the Fall Classic before those two final NLCS losses to the Diamondbacks.
That didn't change how the franchise viewed Thomson's leadership.
The players all respect him. And more importantly, Thomson trusts his players.
When players go through lulls or slumps, Thomson is the perfect manager to be in charge. He'll make changes but he doesn't panic.
In October, Thomson became just the third manager in Major League Baseball history to win 18 of his first 25 playoff games, along with Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel.
Those two managers are in the Hall of Fame.
Thomson had said that he planned to retire after the '22 season. Philadelphia showed a continuing commitment to him and the move has paid huge dividends.
As pitchers and catchers are set to report to spring training, the Phillies boast a roster capable of making another deep postseason run.
As long as Thomson remains in charge, Philadelphia should be in contention.
He’s still the right manager for this team at the right time in his life.
