Rob Thomson was fired by the Philadelphia Phillies but expressed no hard feelings towards the organization. He understood the decision, even after learning that Alex Cora was offered his managerial position shortly after being dismissed from the Boston Red Sox.
Key points
Rob Thomson was fired by the Philadelphia Phillies.
He expressed no hard feelings towards the organization.
Dave Dombrowski offered Alex Cora the managerial job.
The offer to Cora came shortly after he was dismissed from the Red Sox.
Thomson understood the decision behind his dismissal.
Mentioned in this story
Philadelphia PhilliesRob ThomsonDave DombrowskiAlex CoraBoston Red SoxAtlanta
There were no bitter feelings.
No regrets.
There was even empathy.
Rob Thomson, fired Tuesday morning by the Philadelphia Phillies, had his own Zoom call to say goodbye, and insisted that he not only understood why he was dismissed so quickly, but had no harsh feelings towards Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, for trying to hire Thomson's replacement when Thomson was still employed.
Dombrowski, in a press conference earlier in the day, revealed that he offered the Phillies’ managerial job to Alex Cora on Sunday — less than 24 hours after Cora was fired by the Boston Red Sox — while Thomson was still managing the Phillies in Atlanta.
“I think Dave was just doing his due diligence,’’ Thomson said, “and he had made up his mind and he was going to move forward. This guy’s a Hall of Fame executive. So I think people need to trust him. He’s going to do the right thing for the organization.
“David and I have a close relationship, but that doesn’t stand in the way for him doing the right thing for the organization. And I respect that.’’
Dombrowski, who remains close with Cora from their days together in Boston when they won the 2018 World Series, said it was Cora who telephoned him Saturday night, strictly out of friendship, after being fired. They talked again Sunday morning, and Dombrowski later offered Cora the Phillies’ job, with Cora still in the second year of a three-year, $21.75 million contract with the Red Sox.
“We talked about potentially taking the job,’’ Dombrowski said. “I thought I had told him I’d really come to the conclusion at that point, if he took it, I was going to make a change. And I 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…
“It wasn’t because he’s paid through the next year, but he just felt that he wanted, at this point, to be a father, first and foremost.’’
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Cora, 50, is expected to again be offered the managerial job after the season, with Don Mattingly taking over as interim manager for the rest of the season. But Dombrowski said that nothing has been decided.
“Alex Cora is one of the finest managers in the game of baseball,’’ Dombrowski said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Hall of Famers like Tony La Russa and Jim Leyland in my career. I think if Alex Cora decides to kep managing, he has a chance to be in that same category.
“That’s how good he is.’’
Meanwhile, Thomson will go home, he said, and try to decide what he’ll do with himself.
“I got no idea,’’ he said. “I really have never spent a summer in 42 years at home, so I really don't know. Thank God my wife put a pool in a couple years ago, so maybe I'll go for a swim or something.''
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Athletics Lawrence Butler is tagged out by Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas as he tires to extend his double into a triple during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on April 18, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Athletics Lawrence Butler is tagged out by Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas as he tires to extend his double into a triple during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on April 18, 2026.
2 / 21
Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Cleveland Guardians mascot Slider interacts with fans during game against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field on April 17, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Washington Nationals right fielder Daylen Lile attempts to catch a ball hit for a single by the Pittsburgh Pirates' Jake Mangum during the first inning at PNC Park on April 16, 2026. The Nationals won the game, 8-7.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Milwaukee Brewers catcher Gary Sanchez wears a special chest protector to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at American Family Field on April 15, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
April 13: The Pittsburgh Pirates' Spencer Horwitz celebrates a home run in the dugout while wearing a welder's hood during the 16-5 win over the Washington Nationals at PNC Park.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez acknowledges the fans after becoming the team's all-time leader in games played against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on April 6, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
A rainbow appears during the fourth inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 6, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
A fan dresses as the Pope claps during the first inning of the game between the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays at Rate Field on April 5, 2026. The White Sox won the game, 3-0, to complete a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Philadelphia Phillies mascot The Phillie Phanatic entertains fans during the game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on March 31, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Fans react as the Milwaukee Brewers' Jake Bauers homers against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field on March 26, 2026.
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Two F-35C planes from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron NINE Detachment Edwards Air Force Base perform a flyover before the Opening Day game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 26, 2026.
Thomson, 62, is expected to stay with the Phillies organization as a special assistant. There have been no official offers, but Phillies owner John Middleton told him Tuesday morning that an advisor’s position is awaiting whenever he’s ready.
“I wasn’t officially offered anything,’’ Thomson said, “but I am open to staying in this organization. I’ve said throughout my four years as manager here I don’t want to go anywhere else. I love this organization. I’ve been treated with class and dignity the last eight years since I came here, not only the organization, but the city of Philadelphia as well.
“I would seriously entertain staying with the organization. Maybe right now isn’t the right time, and we give it a little bit of (a) break here, but yeah, I’m all in.’’
Thomson, who replaced Joe Girardi in 2022 and led the Phillies to the World Series, also believes these Phillies will have a turnaround after their dreadful 9-19 start, praising Mattingly’s managerial skills after stints with the Dodgers and Marlins. He also supported the decision not to fire any coaches, calling his former staff the best in the business.
“This team is going to turn this around,’’ Thomson says, “and they’re going to get hot. I have a bunch of different reasons why. There’s a lot of talent in there. And if you look at the back of the baseball cards with these guys, usually they reach those numbers by the end of the year. So, I think that they are going to turn it around. …
“We haven’t really played synchronized baseball yet, but I think that will change. There’s a really hot run in there someplace.’’
And although he won’t be on the bench in uniform, Thomson says he’ll still be around. He believes that the Phillies will be back winning once again, and who knows, they may even capture that elusive World Series title with his replacement.
“This is the most fun that I’ve had in baseball the last four years…,’’ he said. “I’ve loved every minute here in Philadelphia. I feel like a citizen here, I really do. It’s been the best.’’
Thomson, who says he wanted to have a farewell Zoom call simply for accountability, answered questions for about 20 minutes, representing the Phillies with class and dignity to the end.
He hadn’t made up his mind quite yet what he planned to do for the evening, but said there were some NHL playoff games he wanted to catch, and, yes, that Phillies game against the Giants, too.
