Philadelphia Phillies' Manager Search Takes Jarring Turn

All along, the general consensus was that the Philadelphia Phillies would hire Alex Cora as their next manager after the 2026 MLB campaign.

The problem is that the Phillies also needed Cora to agree.

Unfortunately for Philadelphia, Cora snubbed Dave Dombrowski again, as the former Boston Red Sox skipper declined the Phillies' offer for the second time in six months, as he also rejected a chance to manage Philadelphia back in April.

Now, the Phillies have been left holding the bag, and The Athletic has reported that Philadelphia might even consider bringing back Don Mattingly for another go.

Mattingly took over as interim manager when the Phils fired Rob Thomson in late April. The Phillies were 9-19 when Mattingly assumed the position. They then went 79-55 under his direction, snagging the final NL Wild Card spot.

Yes, Philadelphia had to stave off a late-season collapse in the process, but Mattingly still got the Phillies to the playoffs in spite of an incredibly flawed roster.

But the prevailing thought was that anything short of a World Series run would result in a one-and-done for Mattingly, who doesn't exactly have the most sterling managerial reputation from his Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins days.

It's worth noting that Mattingly's son, Preston, is the Phillies' general manager, which could give the New York Yankees legend an inside edge. Even if he doesn't manage next season, Mattingly is expected to remain in the organization in some capacity.

Could that be as skipper?

The Athletic noted that having a manager installed before the inevitable lockout begins on Dec. 1 will be very important, as it would at least provide some continuity. And given Mattingly's familiarity with the players and the organization, retaining him would make things a whole lot easier.

Of course, the manager slot is far from the biggest problem Philadelphia faces.

The Phillies desperately need to make some changes to their roster this winter, as evidenced by the fact that they were just bounced from the postseason early yet again. They need more bats, specifically in the outfield. They must add bullpen depth. And they also need to figure out what they're doing with some of their expensive veterans.

Those are all issues Philadelphia will need to figure out in the coming months, regardless of who is named manager.

Regardless, a Mattingly reunion would certainly represent a stunning turn of events given the direction the Phillies previously appeared to be headed.