The Philadelphia Phillies are off to a worse-than-expected 8-13 start.
After getting swept by the Atlanta Braves over the weekend, the only factor keeping the Phillies from being at the bottom of the NL East is the even-worse start by the New York Mets.
Because of this, Phillies fans are growing restless for someone to be held accountable. For a team that had 96 wins in 2025, this is understandable.
When a start like this happens, fans are prone to blame the manager.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, their problems run deeper than that.
What Does Rosenthal Think About the Philadelphia Phillies?
As mentioned, Phillies fans are growing restless. This has led to calls for the firing of manager Rob Thomson.
“All you need to know about the Phillies was on display Saturday night when Citizens Bank Park emptied in the late innings despite the home team only trailing the Braves 3-1,” Rosenthal wrote.
“That’s not a good sign for Thomson, who replaced Joe Girardi in early June 2022 when the team was in the same type of malaise.”
That firing was the spark Philadelphia needed to get out of its funk, as Thomson led them to a pennant. However, four years later, they find themselves in the same situation. But is it Thomson’s fault?
Rosenthal doesn’t think so. He thinks the problems run deeper than the manager and that the core is past their prime.
“But they’re all four years older now, and after repeated disappointment in the postseason, the underlying fear is that this group has already peaked,” Rosenthal wrote. “If that indeed proves the case, (Dave) Dombrowski would be more to blame than Thomson.”
So What Does Rosenthal Believe Will Happen?
So, if roster construction is the issue, is Thomson safe? It’s not likely due to Dombrowski’s history.
“Projecting calm is one of Thomson’s strengths, and the team in December extended him through 2027, partly with that in mind,” Rosenthal wrote. “But owner John Middleton is sensitive to fan reaction. And Dombrowski has shown he will not hesitate to act if he believes a change is necessary.”
The pitching has been awful for the Phillies. Due to horrible starts by Jesus Luzardo and Taijuan Walker, the Phillies are 28th in team ERA.
While the pitching has not been particularly good, the offense has been even worse. Through 21 games, the Phillies have scored just 75 runs, tied for 27th in the league.
An aging core of Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner, added with the uncertainty in the lineup behind those guys makes the roster construction the main factor behind the offensive struggles.
Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh and Adolis Garcia are all struggling behind those three main guys, making it hard to score runs.
If a major turnaround doesn’t happen soon for Philadelphia, it’s possible Thomson will be the scapegoat for what was supposed to be a championship-caliber team.
They are talented enough to snap out of this rough start. But will they is the question, and will it be enough to save Thomson’s job?
Phillies Likely Scapegoat Emerges Despite Underlying Issues