Phillies' Don Mattingly Update is Cutthroat, But the Right Move

The Philadelphia Phillies began the 2026 MLB campaign 9-19 under Rob Thomson. They fired him and installed Don Mattingly as interim manager, proceeding to go on a 37-17 run.

Since then, the Phillies have gone a much more modest 21-22, which has them fighting for their playoff lives with October just around the corner.

That doesn't look quite as good for Mattingly, and there were even some who suggested Philadelphia should make another managerial change during the second half.

That always seemed unlikely. The chances of a team switching managers twice in one season are beyond slim. But it speaks to how rocky Mattingly's standing with the Phillies currently is.

In fact, Bob Nightengale of USA Today has revealed that the only way Mattingly returns in 2027 is if Philadelphia wins the World Series. So even a trip to the Fall Classic wouldn't be enough to save Mattingly's job.

It may sound harsh, especially considering that Philly's problems this season go far beyond Mattingly. Let's be honest: this roster isn't all that great.

But at the same time, it's the right call on the part of the Phillies.

Mattingly has ample managing experience. He served as Los Angeles Dodgers skipper for five years between 2011 and 2015. He managed the Miami Marlins from 2016 through 2022.

Yes, Mattingly made some playoff appearances along the way. Four to be exact. But he owns a lifetime .489 winning percentage.

Was it all his fault? Absolutely not. The Marlins didn't exactly spend for him during his time in South Beach, and while he had some good Dodgers squads, they weren't the behemoths that Dave Roberts has had at his disposal.

Regardless, no one has ever confused Mattingly for being a good manager. He's decent, but he has never been quite good enough, and there is a reason why he has bounced around between assistant roles over the last few years before landing the interim job in Philadelphia.

The Phillies need a more fiery presence in the dugout, someone who is going to get the most out of his players. That has never been Mattingly, and I doubt he is suddenly going to become that at this stage of his tenure.

We can debate whether or not Alex Cora is the answer (his latter days in Boston were undeniably bad), but what we do know is that Mattingly is absolutely not the long-term solution in the City of Brotherly Love.