The Philadelphia Phillies could make a surprising managerial decision after Alex Cora’s decision.
The Phillies were widely expected to name Cora their manager for the 2027 MLB season. Philadelphia tried to hire him this year after he was fired by the Boston Red Sox. Yet, Cora wanted to spend time with his family and took the rest of the season off.
After the Phillies had another early playoff exit, the team reached out to Cora, who will take the 2027 MLB season off as well. With Cora off the board, Philadelphia could turn to a familiar face.
Philadelphia Phillies Could Turn to Familiar Face at Manager
With Cora off the board, MLB insiders Matt Gelb and Jayson Stark of The Athletic revealed the team could turn to Don Mattingly.
Mattingly served as Philadelphia’s interim manager after they fired Rob Thomson. After the Phillies’ playoff exit, it was expected that he wouldn’t be back, but that may not be the case after all.
“They could conduct a wider search for their next manager,” the insiders wrote. “Or they could turn to Don Mattingly for another season, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss internal organizational matters. Everything remains on the table. The Phillies, technically, do not currently have a manager.
“Mattingly could have an edge. He was given the interim manager tag through the end of the 2026 season; he is under contract through 2027 as the bench coach. If he is not the manager again, he is expected to remain in the organization in some capacity, perhaps as a front-office advisor. Elevating Mattingly for another season is the cleanest option, especially with an owner-imposed MLB lockout expected to begin Dec. 1. Team officials would be barred from having contact with players after that date. That will make it difficult for any new manager.”
The looming lockout could make the Phillies turn back to Mattingly. Then, in 2028, Philadelphia could look to hire a new manager for the foreseeable future.
Under Mattingly, the Phillies won at a .590 clip, which was only behind the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Mattingly Uncertain on Future
After the Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs, the future of Mattingly was a popular question.
However, Mattingly wouldn’t comment on whether he would be open to managing in 2027 again.
“It’s not the time to talk about anything like that,” Mattingly said after the game. “I’m not concerned about myself in this situation. I want the Phillies to do what they need to do to set themselves up for success. Yeah, I’m not really — it’s like, my stuff doesn’t really matter.”
Although Mattingly wasn’t sure, Phillies players had plenty of praise for him after the season. So, perhaps he would be a popular choice to be back as manager in 2027.
Philadelphia Phillies Linked to Surprising Manager Move After Alex Cora Decision