Don Mattingly Shares Thoughts on Possibility of Phillies 6-Man Rotation

What does Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly think of the team possibly using a six-man rotation?

Jul 7, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Don Mattingly stands in the dugout before the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a rollercoaster ride through their first 25 games following the Major League Baseball All-Star break, the Philadelphia Phillies may be starting to figure things out.

They have a six-game winning streak, and while they still have issues to work out, they're starting to close the gap a bit between themselves and the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

Philadelphia has a 70-58 record and is just 4.5 games behind the Braves for first place in the division. Its recent success has also given it a bit of breathing room in the chase for a wild-card spot in the playoffs, as it leads the San Diego Padres, who currently hold the National League's last such spot, by two games.

Help may be on the way in the form of Nestor Cortes, a pitcher the team is reportedly signing. He hasn't played yet this year, as he underwent arm surgery last October, but he made the All-Star team in 2022 and played on a New York Yankees team that got to the World Series two years ago.

Don Mattingly doesn't sound fond of six-man rotation idea

Jul 29, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) looks on from inside the dugout against the Miami Marlins during the seventh inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Phillies' starting pitcher rotation consists of Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola and Andrew Painter. The expectation seems to be that Cortes will be used out of the bullpen, at least at first, but interim manager Don Mattingly allowed for the possibility of a six-man rotation, although he didn't seem excited about that possibility, per Phillies Nation.

“I guess you could, in theory,” Mattingly said about going to a six-man rotation. “It depends where you’re at in the race and all that. But I guess in theory, I think teams that do it are probably more comfortable where they’re at in the race. But you never know.”

During Dave Dombrowski's tenure as Philadelphia's president of baseball operations in 2021, the team used a six-man rotation. Cortes did well as a starter in 2022, when he posted a 12-4 record and recorded a stellar 2.44 earned run average and a 0.922 WHIP.

Since then, however, his game has declined. He registered a horrendous 6.29 ERA last year as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres. Given the well-documented issues of the Phillies' bullpen, it may not make sense to use Cortes as a starterc unless he reverts to something approaching his previous All-Star self.

Regardless of how he is used, one thing is clear: The Phillies need Painter to find some level of proficiency as a starting pitcher. The rookie has shown occasional flashes this year, but overall, he has a 6.43 ERA and a 2-8 record.

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