The Philadelphia Phillies entered this week uncertain about who would manage their baseball team in 2027.
Don Mattingly had concluded the 2026 season as the interim manager, but that ended when the Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs by the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Would they keep Mattingly, or would they go in another direction?
As of Wednesday, it appears that decision has been made.
Phillies Make Don Mattingly Manager Decision
The Athletic’s Matt Gelb and Charlotte Varnes reported on Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. ET that Mattingly is going to be named the Phillies’ full-time manager.
The duo wrote: “The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to name Don Mattingly as their full-time manager, with the decision formalized sometime this week, according to several league and team sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss moves that haven’t been announced.”
Mattingly and the Phillies went 79-55 together after he was named their manager in late April.
His contract was in a fascinating spot — he still had in his deal that he’d be the Phillies’ bench coach in 2027, because that’s what he had been hired as. The interim manager tag was only a temporary thing that went to the end of the 2026 season.
The Phillies decided they’d officially give Mattingly the promotion for next season.
“Hiring Mattingly as manager marks a doubling down on the Phillies’ current vision after a near-historic September collapse and another postseason gone wrong,” Gelb and Varnes write.
Mattingly, 65, is known best for his legendary New York Yankees playing career, but he has now made a name for himself in dugouts as a leader in coaching and managerial roles.
The Phillies haven’t been able to win a World Series with this core group, but they apparently like what Mattingly brings to the table.
Uncertainty Ahead
The report from The Athletic also notes that ahead of a tumultuous offseason, the Phillies decided not to do anything too bold.
There’s set to be a lockout, and it could cost the 2027 MLB season regular season games, too.
“It’s also a vote for familiarity; Mattingly is one of several recent prominent hires in which the Phillies have looked inward rather than conducting an external search,” Gelb and Varnes write. “With an owner-imposed MLB work stoppage expected to begin Dec. 2, Mattingly at least knows the players after serving as the interim boss. Now, after retaining Mattingly, the Phillies can focus on other priorities as they begin an unusual offseason. Mattingly, 65, will have at least 2027 (or however much of the season is played) to oversee the dugout.”
The Phillies have plenty of big questions to answer, starting with whether they trade away any of their star players. But at least they’ve got the manager position figured out — Mattingly will continue to lead in Philadelphia.
Phillies Make Don Mattingly Manager Decision