Don Mattingly Just Misses History With Phillies Losing to Reds

Since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, replacing Rob Thomson after 28 games and a 9-19 start, all the team has done is win.

They entered their series with the Cincinnati Reds riding an impressive streak. The Phillies had won every series he was at the helm, defeating the San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins, Athletics, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.

That put Mattingly in some impressive company. As shared by Jayson Stark and Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required), There has been only one other manager in MLB history who took over a team midseason and won his first six series as manager: Joe Morgan, who was interim manager of the Boston Red Sox in 1988.

Only two other managers who took over during the season even won five series in a row to start their tenure: Thomson in 2022 with Philadelphia and Jim Fregosi, who took over the Chicago White Sox from Tony LaRussa in 1986.

Don Mattingly falls just short of history with Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly participates in warm ups before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. — May 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) participates in warm ups before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Alas, more history was not made. The Phillies were defeated by the Reds 9-4 on Wednesday afternoon, putting Philadelphia on its first losing streak under Mattingly and failing to win a series for the first time under his watch.

That ends what has been a historic roller coaster ride to start the season. When Mattingly took over, the Phillies had lost six consecutive series. He is the first manager to take over midseason and win seven in a row immediately following the brutal losing streak.

The only other team since 1900 that has lost six series in a row and followed it up by winning seven in a row was the 1975 Pirates under Dave Parker. However, they had one manager for the entire duration, not a change in the middle of it.

FINAL: Reds 9, Phillies 4
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) May 20, 2026

Philadelphia is on a path of history no other team has traveled before, and it will be interesting to see where it takes them. They have already joined one illustrious club, going from 10+ games under .500 to at least one game over .500 within the first 47 games of the season, becoming only the fifth team to accomplish that feat.

This has been a special run for the Phillies. The 16-4 record through the first 20 games after the managerial change was the second-best mark in the Modern Era, behind the 19-1 stretch the Red Sox pulled off with Morgan.

This is an unprecedented hot stretch Philadelphia has gone on. It would have been an incredible feat to beat the Reds and keep the streak alive, but they will look to start a new one when the Cleveland Guardians come to Citizens Bank Park for a weekend set.

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