The Philadelphia Phillies have fired manager Rob Thomson after a poor 9-19 start to the season. Don Mattingly and Alex Cora are among the potential candidates to replace him.
Key points
Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson after a 9-19 start
Thomson reached the World Series as interim manager in 2022
Don Mattingly and Alex Cora are potential replacements
Thomson won at least 90 games in three full seasons
The firing follows the Red Sox's dismissal of Alex Cora
The MLB managerial carousel is in full swing just one month into the season, and the Philadelphia Phillies joined it on Tuesday.
The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson after parts of five seasons, responding to a dismal 9-19 start with a massive change just three days after the Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora amidst their own ugly start.
Thomson reached the World Series as an interim manager in 2022 and won at least 90 games in each of his three full seasons with the Phillies, but after an NLDS exit last October, expectations in 2026 have not been met.
Here's a look at six candidates who could replace Thomson on a full-time basis.
The Phillies likely didn't plan for Thomson to be their full-time Joe Girardi replacement in 2022, but the universe had other plans. With so much of the season still remaining and a talented (albeit aging) roster at his disposal, interim manager Don Mattingly has a chance to prove he's worthy of the full-time job.
Q&A
Why did the Philadelphia Phillies fire Rob Thomson?
The Phillies fired Rob Thomson due to a disappointing 9-19 start to the season.
Who are the top candidates to replace Rob Thomson as Phillies manager?
Top candidates include Don Mattingly and Alex Cora, among others.
What were Rob Thomson's achievements as manager of the Phillies?
Rob Thomson reached the World Series in 2022 and won at least 90 games in each of his three full seasons.
What impact did the Red Sox firing Alex Cora have on the Phillies' decision?
The Phillies' decision to fire Thomson came just three days after the Red Sox fired Alex Cora, indicating a trend of managerial changes in MLB.
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Whether Mattingly, 65, would want the job, or whether the Phillies would be willing to hand the keys to someone in the latter stages of his career is uncertain. Philadelphia could be entering a rebuild or at least a transitional period if this season doesn't end well, and it's unclear whether Mattingly would want to be part of that.
Three of the last five Phillies managers started out in an interim role before earning the full-time job, so this scenario isn't something the organization is unfamiliar with. Mattingly has 12 years of managerial experience under his belt between the Dodgers and Marlins, which is more than most candidates can say.
Former Red Sox manager Alex Cora was offered the job to replace Thomson and declined in favor of spending time with his family, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported. Cora might not be ready to jump right back in three days after his firing in Boston, but that doesn't mean he won't be a candidate in the offseason.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski hired Cora in Boston and has a strong relationship with the World Series-winning manager. Cora was evidently his first choice to replace Thomson, and the two sides could always revisit the job in September or October after the 50-year-old takes a step back over the next few months.
If Cora again turns down the job, the top candidate with managerial experience on the market could be former Twins manager Rocco Baldelli.
Baldelli spent seven seasons in Minnesota before his firing last October, winning 101 games in his first season and taking the frugal Twins to the postseason four times. While much of his final five seasons were marred by mediocrity, that can be attributed more to roster construction and an unwillingness to spend than anything Baldelli was responsible for.
A second managerial gig is inevitable for Baldelli, and his current role as a special assistant in the Dodgers' front office certainly doesn't hurt his profile.
4. Dusty Wathan
If the Phillies play well under Mattingly but he doesn't want the job, Dusty Wathan could be an intriguing in-house candidate.
The 52-year-old spent about a decade as a minor-league manager in the Phillies' system before his promotion to third base coach in 2018. Wathan's stint with the Phillies has spanned three and now four different managers when including Mattingly, and he was elevated to bench coach after Thomson's firing.
Brandon Hyde
Brandon Hyde
5. Brandon Hyde
Like Baldelli, Brandon Hyde will be a popular managerial candidate even with teams and front offices he doesn't have any connection to. Hyde lifted the Orioles out of a grueling rebuild during his seven seasons in Baltimore, winning 101 games and an AL East title in 2023 before returning to the postseason in 2024.
A rough start to 2025 ended his time with the Orioles, but Hyde is a well-respected manager who has experience both leading a young team with low expectations and a talented team with postseason expectations.
An up-and-coming managerial candidate for a handful of years now, Mets bench coach Kai Correa could be a nice fit with a rebuilding team if the Phillies decide to go that route. Still only 37, Correa worked under Gabe Kapler in San Francisco and Stephen Vogt in Cleveland with a focus on defense before joining the Mets' staff this season. He also served as the Giants' interim manager for three games in 2024.
The Mets' horrid start makes Correa's candidacy more of a question. Will a brutal season reflect poorly on him, or could he even be New York's interim manager in the event Carlos Mendoza is fired, making him a more likely candidate to stay with the Mets full-time?
If the Phillies want to get back to fundamentals and find a manager who can grow with a transitioning roster, Correa could be an option.