Don Mattingly did a very nice job in 2026. The baseball lifer inherited a listless Philadelphia Phillies team that had started the season with World Series expectations. Miraculously, Mattingly righted the ship and snuck his club into the playoffs. The Phillies have decided he’ll be their man moving into next year, and it’s not without merit.
The Phillies’ brass have gained a reputation; they have run back a remarkably similar roster year after year. Sure, a Rhys Hoskins leaves here, and a Ranger Suárez there, but the core group of players has remained the same for the past half-decade.
The Phillies’ recent run of postseason appearances began back in 2022, when bench coach Rob Thomson was promoted after Joe Girardi was sacked. His team responded with a magical ride to the National League pennant, and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski opted to keep him at the helm for the next few years. However, this past April, when the Phils began the year 9-19, that ended.
After inheriting Thomson’s role, Mattingly got things back on track, steering his squad to a 79-55 record and the final National League Wild Card spot. That turnaround wasn’t without its speed bumps; a September swoon threatened to sink their playoff hopes, but Mattingly’s boys eventually got into the dance and put up a good fight in a losing effort against the Atlanta Braves.
For fans demanding change after yet another early October exit, Mattingly was an easy lever to pull, whether he deserved it or not.
It seemed Dombrowski was willing to make that change as long as it was for his preferred guy: Alex Cora. The duo won a ring together back in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox, and Dombrowski made known his interest in hiring Cora back in April after Thomson was let go.
Unfortunately for Dombrowski, Cora decided to take the coming season off while the Red Sox pay him the remaining $7.25 million he’s owed, and who can blame him? With Cora out of the picture, Mattingly was viewed as the next best thing.
Mattingly did just enough to earn an extension, but is that really good enough?
There’s plenty to like about Don Mattingly. The longtime New York Yankees star racked up a bevy of All-Star nods and Gold Glove Awards during his 14-year playing career, including an MVP Award. The 65-year-old also has 13 years' worth of experience as a manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, and now the Phillies. He’s won close to 1,000 games in his managerial career and took home a Manager of the Year Award back in 2020 with the Fish.
On top of that, "Donnie Baseball" has deep ties to the Phillies’ organization; his son, Preston, serves as general manager, Dombrowski’s right-hand man. Perhaps most importantly, Mattingly appears to have the respect of his players, as future Hall of Famer Bryce Harper said earlier this year, “[he’s] somebody that’s played, that’s done it. He did it in a big market, too… When you have somebody that’s done it, you can kind of relate to that, and he can relate to you as well. So it’s not just somebody saying something that’s never been there or done that. So, it’s been really good.”
#Phillies Bryce Harper speaks on interim manager Don Mattingly and how his MLB experience is a plus. — Mookie Betts states managers that “played” have a certain “feeling” for things that can resonate with players.
— Alex Coll (@Alexcoll_) July 22, 2026
(Via On Base w/ Mookie Betts) pic.twitter.com/hj4B1CR4qf
Not everyone feels the same as Harper, though. A large portion of the fanbase is frothing at the mouth for meaningful change, and the clearest path to that was just blocked. If the roster and the results stay the same next year, pitchforks will be sharpened again.
Add us as a preferred source on Google