Phillies Fire Manager Rob Thomson 28 Games Into Season

Given how poorly the Philadelphia Phillies have performed on the field this season, it felt like a matter of when, not if, some major changes were going to be made.

Ahead of their three-game series against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park, one of those major changes has been made. The team has fired manager Rob Thomson, who will be replaced by Don Mattingly on an interim basis.

With a record of 9-19, tied for the worst in the MLB with the New York Mets, the Phillies required some sort of shake-up. Some of their struggles certainly cannot be attributed to Thomson, but it could certainly help to have a new voice leading the way in the clubhouse.

He originally took over as manager when Joe Girardi was fired during the 2022 season. The team was 22-29 under Girardi before catching fire and turning into arguably the best team in the league under Thomson.

Phillies fire manager Rob Thomson

Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies head coach Rob Thomson (49) makes a pitching change against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Philadelphia went 65-46 under Thomson to finish the season 87-75, finishing third in the NL East but earning a Wild Card spot. They made the most of that opportunity, continuing the momentum built over the course of the summer into the fall postseason.

The Phillies would defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLWC before beating the Atlanta Braves in four games in the NLDS. In the NLCS, they faced off against the San Diego Padres and rolled through them in five games.

Alas, their run came to an end in the World Series against the Houston Astros, losing in six games.

Unfortunately, that would be the peak of their success under Thomson. The team would play at an incredibly high level in the regular season, increasing its win total every year.

They went from 87 to 90 in 2023 and improved to 95 the following year. 96 victories were reached in 2025, but as their regular-season success improved, their performance in the postseason worsened.

The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson, sources told ESPN. Don Mattingly will take over as interim manager. First on the news was @MattGelb.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 28, 2026

Each year under Thomson, Philadelphia’s stay in the playoffs got shorter and shorter. In 2023, they blew a 3-2 lead at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS. The following year, they earned a bye right into the NLDS, where they were beaten by the Mets in four games.

Last year, they had the unfortunate luck of being matched up against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS and were beaten in four games again.

Now, with the team struggling mightily, ownership and the front office decided it was the right time to make a move despite his extension through 2027.

Thomson ends his tenure with the Phillies with a 355-270 regular season record and a 21-17 record in the playoffs.

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