The Philadelphia Phillies are currently in the middle of a tightly contested playoff battle, as they find themselves in a three-way tie with the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres for the final two wild card spots in the National League entering play on Sunday. Considering how this season started for Philly, though, just being in playoff contention is a win.
The Phillies crawled out to a horrific start this year, which led to manager Rob Thomson being fired. Don Mattingly was hired to fill in as the team’s interim manager, and he has managed to right the ship. Despite that, new rumors indicate that Mattingly may not be guaranteed to stick with the team past the 2026 campaign.
Don Mattingly’s Return to the Phillies Viewed as Unlikely
When Mattingly took over for Thomson, the Phillies had just a 9-19 record. Overcoming such an awful start wasn’t exactly going to be an easy task, but the experienced Mattingly has managed to string things together by leaning on his star players. Guys like Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, and Zack Wheeler have been phenomenal on the mound, while Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are largely carrying the lineup.
The decision to hire Mattingly was a bit of a surprise, though. Initially, it seemed like recently fired Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora was the team’s first choice, but he turned the team down. That led to Mattingly being tabbed as Thomson’s replacement, marking his return to baseball after he parted ways with the Miami Marlins at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign.
This isn’t the first time Mattingly has managed to turn around a team that was left for dead, and his success with the team has led to questions about his future. There’s no doubt Mattingly has done a great job with Philadelphia, but the front office is expected to make another run at Cora over the offseason, unless their current interim manager can lead the team to a World Series championship.
“Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly, who took over for Rob Thomson on April 28, not only must lead the Phillies to the postseason, but likely to the World Series or even win it to be asked back,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported. “Alex Cora, who turned down the job when Thomson was fired, is expected to be the Phillies’ next manager barring a World Series berth or title.”
Should the Phillies Keep Don Mattingly in Town?
GettyDYERSVILLE, IOWA – AUGUST 13: Interim manager Don Mattingly looks on prior to a game against the Minnesota Twins at Field of Dreams on August 13, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Tyler Clouse/Getty Images)
Moving on from Mattingly after such a successful stint with the team would certainly be a risk. Sure, Cora would probably be a better long-term fit, but there’s no guarantee he will actually return to managing in 2026 (even if that’s where things seem to be trending currently). And even then, if he were to come in and struggle, that would make moving on from Mattingly look like a foolish decision.
Mattingly will also likely have a say in his future, but there’s a decent chance that this will come down to just how successful Philadelphia is in the postseason. First, it has to make it there, though, and it will look to take another step closer to achieving that goal by finishing off a sweep of the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon.
Don Mattingly Receives Major Update on Phillies Future