After losing in the National League wild card round on Thursday, the Phillies are making a change in their dugout.
After losing in the National League wild card series on Thursday, the Philadelphia Phillies are set to make a managerial change for 2027. According to reports, Don Mattingly will not be brought back as skipper, prompting them to find a new voice.
The assumption is that Alex Cora will get the job, as the Phillies offered him the job after letting Rob Thomson go earlier this season. Cora turned it down after he was let go by the Boston Red Sox, electing to take the rest of the season off. Mattingly took the job on an interim basis.
However, Cora is a well-respected skipper who worked for Phillies front office leader Dave Dombrowski in Boston. The two have a great relationship and won the World Series together in 2018. Perhaps, he'll be more recharged now to take the job.
The decision by Philadelphia to let go of Mattingly has a ripple effect on the Seattle Mariners. Here's how.
1) Assuming Cora takes the job in Philly, he won't be coming to the Mariners
Almost nobody expected this anyways, but fans have still clamored for the organization to bring Cora to the Pacific Northwest. The money it will likely cost seems out of the M's price range, and the distance from Cora's home in Puerto Rico seems too great.
Regardless, this would officially put a fork in that idea.
2) Assuming Cora takes the job in Philly, he also won't be managing the Astros
This one is more pertinent to the Mariners frankly. Astros owner Jim Crane is expected to continue to try to win with his aging core and it's possible that he wants a home run hire at manager if he moves on from Joe Espada, who just had his contract expire.
Cora has experience with Houston, having served as the bench coach for the World Series team in 2017. Of course, that team was marred by the trash-can banging scandal and Cora was suspended for the 2020 season.
That said, him not going to Houston would be a win for the Mariners.
Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) returns to the dugout after a visit to the mound in the seventh inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Brett Davis-Imagn Images3) Is Mattingly a fit for the Mariners at manager?
Maybe? Mattingly's son is the GM in Philadelphia so he may just want to accept another job with the Phillies and to work near his son, but he is technically available.
He has done the job before, which is something that Buster Olney of ESPN values: He's managed the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins and Phillies, going 968-1005 total. He's made the playoffs five times in 13 seasons, including three times with the Dodgers.
Of note
The latest edition of the 'Refuse To Lose Territory' podcast is now out, featuring Buster Olney of ESPN and talking about the Mariners managerial search. You can listen here, or you can watch in the YouTube player below.
