The Philadelphia Phillies were busy on Tuesday morning at the Winter Meetings. Much to the majority of fans' delight, news broke that they had agreed to a new contract with Kyle Schwarber. While that will dominate the headlines in Philadelphia and around baseball, the Phillies quickly made another move that definitely won't get as much attention.
The club announced that they have extended manager Rob Thomson through the 2027 season. Giving him an extra year, as they have each of the last two offseasons, will keep him from being labeled a "lame duck" manager as the Phillies head into a pivotal 2026 season.
This was a move we knew was coming, we were just waiting for it to become official. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced that Thomson and his coaching staff would be back in 2026 during his end-of-year press conference in October.
Breaking: The Phillies have extended the contract of manager Rob Thomson through the 2027 season. pic.twitter.com/uN1esBlkYd
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) December 9, 2025
Rob Thomson extended through 2027 despite not being able to bring Phillies back to World Series since 2022
The Phillies have had Thomson at the helm since June 3, 2022, when they fired Joe Girardi. While the 62-year-old has had his fair share of detractors during his tenure, there's no denying his regular season results.
In his three and a half seasons as Phillies skipper, Thomson has a 346-251 regular season record. His .580 winning percentage ranks as the best among Phillies managers with at least 26 games managed. The Phillies have won back-to-back NL East titles while finishing as the second-best team in MLB each season, with 95 and 96 wins.
Those accolades fall on deaf ears of some fans in Philadelphia since Thomson hasn't been able to guide the Phillies to bringing home the franchise's third World Series trophy.
After making the Fall Classic in his maiden season as manager, Thomson took the Phillies to Game 7 of the NLCS in 2023. The last two seasons have seen Thomson's Phillies disappear during the NLDS, leading to a pair of early eliminations.
Some see the manager as the scapegoat for the team's failed postseasons. The reality is that the offense has disappeared at pivotal times over the previous playoff runs while the bullpen has had some untimely miscues.
Regardless of how the public feels, those in the organization value Thomson's steady hand. His star players went to bat for him following this October's devastating series loss to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
It also sounds like Thomson will get some extra help in 2026, with baseball legend Don Mattingly potentially lining up to fill the vacant bench coach job. On Monday, Dombrowski told media that there was "mutual interest" between the Phillies and Mattingly for the role.
Even though Thomson is extended through 2027, the Phillies will have to be one of the top contenders in MLB again next season for him to feel secure in his job. The veteran core is only getting older and with a potential lockout looming in 2027, it may be his final kick at the can as Phillies manager.