Celtics offense shuts down late in Game 5 during 113-97 loss to 76ers
Celtics offense falters late, losing 113-97 to 76ers in Game 5
The Philadelphia Phillies recorded their first shutout win of the season, defeating the San Francisco Giants 7-0 under interim manager Don Mattingly, just hours after firing Rob Thomson. Mattingly's promotion marks a historic moment as he and his son, Preston, hold managerial roles in the same franchise.
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Rob Thomsonâs run as Philadelphia Phillies manager started and ended with midseason firings. In June 2022, he took over for Joe Girardi. Nearly four years later, Thomson fell victim to the same early-season fate as his predecessor despite enjoying significantly more success as the Philliesâ skipper.
Unfortunately for Thomson, that success came to a screeching halt this spring. After starting 6-4, Philadelphia unraveled. By the time he was relieved of his managerial duties on Tuesday, the Phillies were tied for MLBâs worst record at 9-19.
They improved to 10-19 hours later, and 1-0 under interim manager Don Mattingly, with a 7-0 win at home in their series opener against the San Francisco Giants.
Mattinglyâs promotion marked whatâs believed to be the first time in MLB history that a father and son have held positions as a clubâs manager and general manager. The Philliesâ GM is Donâs son, Preston. The eldest Mattingly is tasked with reinvigorating a bunch that makes up the largest payroll in franchise history.
They played a lot more like theyâre worth versus the Giants (13-16), recording their first shutout win of the season.
Thomson had never managed an MLB game before he replaced Girardi during the 2022 campaign. That season, he went on to lead the Phillies to their first World Series appearance since 2009. In 2023, he oversaw another run to the NLCS. Each of the past two seasons, he guided the club to NL East titles, although those were followed up by premature playoff exits.
Even after this seasonâs tailspin, his winning percentage (.568) is the second-highest ever recorded by a full-time Phillies manager. It trails only that of Arthur Irwin, who posted a .575 winning percentage from 1894-95. Thomson, or âTopperâ as heâs affectionately known by players and fans, took the Phillies to the playoffs every season he was manager.
That streak was already in serious jeopardy this year, though. Philadelphia retained its core, and most of roster as a whole, this past offseason yet has taken a massive step back. Along with their rival New York Mets, the Phillies are National League bottom dwellers after the first month and change of the season.
Rob Thomson was fired after the Phillies started the season with a 9-19 record, tying for the worst in MLB.
The Phillies won their first game after Thomson's firing, shutting out the San Francisco Giants 7-0.
Don Mattingly's promotion is significant as it marks the first time in MLB history that a father and son have held positions as a club's manager and general manager.
Under interim manager Don Mattingly, the Phillies recorded their first shutout win of the season against the Giants.
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Bryce Harper, now amid his eighth season in Philadelphia, reflected on that poor start.
"As players, we're the ones that kind of make those decisions happen, right?" Harper said before Tuesdayâs game, per MLB.com. "If we don't play well or we don't make things happen, somebody takes the takes the fall â and, you know, he took the fall today."
The Philliesâ starting rotation, a strength during a 96-win season last year, has struggled to go deep. Their offense has severely underwhelmed, as Philadelphia entered Tuesdayâs game with the third-fewest runs scored of any major-league team this year. Mix in some head-scratching defense, and you have a recipe for disaster, which was on full display during the Philliesâ 10-game skid, their longest since 1999.
âIt sucks that the players are the ones not playing well, and somebody else has to lose their job for it,â catcher J.T. Realmuto told reporters pregame, according to MLB.com.
Realmuto also said: âDays like today are just somber and unfortunate, because you never want to see somebody who we all liked and enjoyed go through what Rob's having to go through right now.
âYou feel a little bit of accountability and you just feel bad for not playing well enough for him.â
Mattingly, a six-time All-Star for the New York Yankees during his playing days, has previously served as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-15) and the Miami Marlins (2016-22). For now, heâs got the Philliesâ lineup card.
But the clubâs president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, admitted Tuesday that he first tried to hire recently fired Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora as Thomsonâs replacement.
Cora was in charge of the Red Soxâs clubhouse from 2018-19 and 2021-26. Boston moved on from him and a collection of his staffers on Saturday. Dombrowski was the Red Soxâs president of baseball operations from 2015-19 and hired Cora for his first managerial stint there. He said he talked to Cora on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
âWe talked about potentially taking the job,â Dombrowski said. âI had told him I had really come to the conclusion at that point that if he took it, I was going to make a change.
âI thought that he might take it, but as time went on over the next day into Monday morning, it was apparent from his perspective that he wanted to take time with his family.â
Dombrowski added: âIt wasnât because heâs paid through the next year. But he just felt that he wanted, at this point, to be a father first and foremost. And, so, thatâs what he had decided.â
In that same news conference, Dombrowski discussed Thomsonâs impact on the organization and the city of Philadelphia, as well as the fact that he thought about offering him a special assistant position with the club right away.
âIâm sure when he comes back, heâll get a deserved standing ovation from the fans,â Dombrowski, a two-time World Series champion executive, said. âHeâs a wonderful person, done a lot, works hard, very conscientious. But I think, at this time, I felt that we needed a new voice in there, a little different feeling in the clubhouse.â
Thomson also spoke to media on Tuesday, in the wake of his dismissal. He fielded questions, took accountability and didnât seem offended by Dombrowski talking with Cora before the change.
Thompsonâs love for the Phillies and Philadelphia appears unwavering, so much so that he is, in fact, interested in sticking around.
âI wasnât officially offered anything,â Thomson told reporters Tuesday over Zoom,â via 97.5 The Fanatic. âBut I am open to staying in this organization. Iâve said throughout my four years as manager here, I donât want to go anywhere else. I love this organization.
âIâve been treated with class and dignity the last eight years, ever since I came here.â
Thomson noted: âI would seriously entertain staying with the organization. Maybe right now isnât the right time, maybe give it a little bit of a break here. But, yeah, Iâm all in on that.â
Thomson insisted that heâd be watching the Phillies take on the Giants Tuesday night. They won for just the second time in 15 days.