Phillies’ Rob Thomson was absolutely robbed of end-of-season award

The Phillies’ Rob Thomson deserved the 2022 NL Manager of the Year Award.

It appears that Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson has been “robbed.”

Major League Baseball and the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced the three finalists for the National League Manager of the Year Monday evening — shockingly leaving out Thomson from the running. Instead, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dave Roberts, the New York Mets’ Buck Showalter, and the Atlanta Braves’ Brian Snitker will compete for the top managerial honors.

All three finalists led their teams to 100-plus-win seasons — each that fell short of the National League Championship Series and World Series. However, similar to other end-of-season awards, the Manager of the Year Award does not take into account postseason accomplishments. Still, Thomson not even being named a finalist is a huge disappointment. Thomson notably took over for a 22-29 Phillies team in early June and led the franchise to its first postseason berth in 11 seasons — not to mention its first World Series appearance since 2009.

It would have been so perfect for Thomson to be named the 2022 National League Manager of the Year, just one year after former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler received the award while at the helm of the San Francisco Giants. With the Phillies now two skippers removed from Kapler, their current manager will stick around for at least two more seasons — as the club removed Thomson’s interim tag in early October and extended his contract through 2024.

Surprisingly, Phillies legend and 2008 World Series champion Charlie Manuel never earned Manager of the Year honors. Larry Bowa (2001) was the last in red pinstripes to receive the prestigious recognition, preceded by Jim Fregosi (1993), Danny Ozark (1976), Gene Mauch (1962, 1964), and Eddie Sawyer (1950).

The winners of the 2022 American League and National League Managers of the Year awards will be announced on Tuesday, November 15.