Some fans of the Philadelphia Phillies will not be pleased with the news of their managerial plans for next year. MLB insider and the New York Post's Jon Heyman posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday that sources told him and fellow New York Post columnist and MLB Network insider Joel Sherman that Rob Thomson will return as the Phillies manager for the 2026 season.
Shortly after Heyman's tweet, MLB.com's Todd Zolecki confirmed the news of Thomson's return. Following Philadelphia's second consecutive playoff exit in the NLDS, 3-1, speculation arose that the organization would be making a change at the manager position.
Can confirm this. Rob Thomson will return. There had been speculation following the team’s early postseason exit. https://t.co/KooFhnXSsN
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) October 13, 2025
Rob Thomson returning as Phillies manager the opposite of what many fans wanted to see
Thomson's decisions with the bullpen and game management were criticized during the Phillies’ NLDS loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. While many players on the roster need to shoulder their part of the blame for the series loss, the manager usually takes the fall for a club's underachievement in the playoffs if the front office deems a change is necessary.
While Thomson was given an extension through 2026 last offseason following the Phillies' disappointing exit in the NLDS to the New York Mets, no one in the organization expected Philly to fall in the same round a year later.
Although he is slated to return for next season and has the support of his star players like Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, Thomson's job security should be on thin ice. The same applies to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, as well as many players who return to the roster for 2026 who are not signed long term.
Thomson took over as the Phillies’ manager partway through the 2022 season, after a slow start saw Joe Girardi let go. Going into 2026, Thomson will be entering his fourth full season at the helm of a perennial contender that has yet to break through and win the World Series. He has managerial record of 346-251 (.580).
The club has been at a point of no return for the last two seasons. A year from now, who knows what managing partner John Middleton will decide is necessary if the Phillies do not win a championship?
It won't be good. The fans will become more disgusted and hopeless with the club than they are presently if the franchise does not win a World Series soon.