Have you started paying attention to the standings yet?

TL;DR

The Philadelphia Phillies have made a significant decision by parting ways with Rob Thomson before Memorial Day, despite the traditional belief that teams should wait to assess standings. Currently, the Braves lead the NL East while the Phillies are under .500.

Key points

Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson before Memorial Day
Braves lead the NL East division
Phillies currently under .500

Mentioned in this story

Rob ThomsonBryce HarperDylan Moore

Philadelphia PhilliesAtlanta Braves

Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) and second baseman Dylan Moore (25) celebrate after scoring against the Atlanta Braves in the tenth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images There is an old axiom around baseball that teams don’t pay attention to the standings until Memorial Day. That way, they don’t make rash decisions based on what amounts to a fraction of the season having gone by. The Phillies clearly did not do that, choosing to part ways with Rob Thomson in what I personally think is a large decision to be made before Memorial Day. **The standings though? Are you even looking at them yet?** For me, I know two things: the Braves are way out in front in the NL East and the Phillies are under .500. Other than that, I’m not sure I can tell you who any of the other division leaders even are right now. The Dodgers are, right? I know they’ve been playing poorly lately and have a currently sputtering offense, but they’re in the division lead, correct? If you gave me three guesses, I probably couldn’t tell you who is out in front in the AL Central, though that would be true if it were Memorial Day or Labor Day. Some people are looking at them closely and kudos to them. After this gets posted, I’ll check, but probably not again until mid June.

Q&A

Why did the Philadelphia Phillies fire Rob Thomson?

The Phillies decided to part ways with Rob Thomson due to their underperformance, as they are currently below .500 in the standings.

What is the current status of the NL East standings?

As of now, the Atlanta Braves are leading the NL East, while the Philadelphia Phillies are struggling and sitting below .500.

When do baseball teams typically start paying attention to standings?

Traditionally, teams wait until Memorial Day to closely monitor standings to avoid making rash decisions based on early-season performance.