On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Phillies decided to part ways with Rob Thomson, the manager who led them to a 2022 NL Pennant and back-to-back NL East titles. After being tied for the worst record in the MLB with the New York Mets at 9-19 and a negative-54 run differential, a drastic change was needed to try to salvage this Phillies season.
Thomson was the man chosen to take the fall for the Phillies’ struggles. Similar to the way Thomson replaced Joe Girardi in 2022, the Phillies are looking for a spark with a new voice. In the first four games of the Don Mattingly era, the Phillies are 4-0, with two walk-off wins.
Still, despite how things have ended, Thomson doesn’t appear to have hard feelings towards the Phillies organization.
Classy Exit
While the last few weeks of Rob Thomson’s tenure as Phillies manager didn’t go the way anyone expected, he took the Phillies decision to move on from him with the positive outlook and grace that defined his time as manager.
Thomson, on Tuesday, just hours after being let go, made a point of speaking with the media one last time and answering questions. Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia, in his April 28 article, wrote about Thomson taking accountability and his message in his departure.
“I think if you’re an accountable person and you’re a leader, you’re going to stand up in front of people and answer the questions when it’s all over,” Thomson said. “And I just wanted to make sure I did that in the right way.”
Thomson answered the questions and assured that he had no bad blood with the Phillies over the decision and that he would like to remain with the Phillies in the future.
“I’ve said throughout my four years as manager here, I don’t want to go anywhere else,” Thomson said. “I love this organization. I’ve been treated with class and dignity the last eight years, ever since I came here. And I would seriously entertain staying with the organization. Maybe right now isn’t the right time. Maybe we give it a little bit of a break here. But yeah, I’m all in on that.”
The sentiment of keeping Thomson associated with the organization appears to be mutual.
Respect for Topper
Rob Thomson may no longer be the Phillies manager, but the impact he left on the players and the organization will linger. Thomson led one of the most successful eras in franchise history, including snapping an 11-year playoff drought.
For his contributions, both players and the president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, praised Thomson. Jake Mintz of Yahoo Sports, in his April 28 article, wrote about the gratitude expressed towards Thomson.
“He’s a wonderful person,” Dombrowski gushed Tuesday about the man he’d fired earlier in the day. “Done a lot, works hard, very conscientious, but I think at this time, I thought that we needed a new voice in there.”
Phillies leader Bryce Harper also praised Thomson for keeping the ship steady as manager.
“We love Topper in here,” Phillies star Bryce Harper said Tuesday, referring to his former manager by his nickname. “Steady Eddie in here every day. Really good for the clubhouse, really good for the team.”
The Phillies are officially in a new era, but Thomson’s time in the Phillies organization may not be over after all.
Fired Phillies Manager Wants to Remain With Organization