Andy BackstromContributing writerWed, April 29, 2026 at 1:15 AM UTC·7 min readRob Thomson’s run as Philadelphia Phillies manager started and ended with midseason firings. In June 2022, he took over for Joe Girardi. Nearly four years later, Thomson fell victim to the same early-season fate as his predecessor despite enjoying significantly more success as the Phillies’ skipper.
Unfortunately for Thomson, that success came to a screeching halt this spring. After starting 6-4, Philadelphia unraveled. By the time he was relieved of his managerial duties on Tuesday, the Phillies were tied for MLB’s worst record at 9-19.
They improved to 10-19 hours later, and 1-0 under interim manager Don Mattingly, with a 7-0 win at home in their series opener against the San Francisco Giants.
Mattingly’s promotion marked what’s believed to be the first time in MLB history that a father and son have held positions as a club’s manager and general manager. The Phillies’ GM is Don’s son, Preston. The eldest Mattingly is tasked with reinvigorating a bunch that makes up the largest payroll in franchise history.
They played a lot more like they’re worth versus the Giants (13-16), recording their first shutout win of the season.
Thomson had never managed an MLB game before he replaced Girardi during the 2022 campaign. That season, he went on to lead the Phillies to their first World Series appearance since 2009. In 2023, he oversaw another run to the NLCS. Each of the past two seasons, he guided the club to NL East titles, although those were followed up by premature playoff exits.
Even after this season’s tailspin, his winning percentage (.568) is the second-highest ever recorded by a full-time Phillies manager. It trails only that of Arthur Irwin, who posted a .575 winning percentage from 1894-95. Thomson, or “Topper” as he’s affectionately known by players and fans, took the Phillies to the playoffs every season he was manager.
That streak was already in serious jeopardy this year, though. Philadelphia retained its core, and most of roster as a whole, this past offseason yet has taken a massive step back. Along with their rival New York Mets, the Phillies are National League bottom dwellers after the first month and change of the season.
"We love Topper in here..I've played for a lot of guys over my 15-year career and Topper is definitely one of the guys at the top."- Bryce Harper pic.twitter.com/SnO0ZuH8TO
Bryce Harper, now amid his eighth season in Philadelphia, reflected on that poor start.
"As players, we're the ones that kind of make those decisions happen, right?" Harper said before Tuesday’s game, per MLB.com. "If we don't play well or we don't make things happen, somebody takes the takes the fall — and, you know, he took the fall today."
The Phillies’ starting rotation, a strength during a 96-win season last year, has struggled to go deep. Their offense has severely underwhelmed, as Philadelphia entered Tuesday’s game with the third-fewest runs scored of any major-league team this year. Mix in some head-scratching defense, and you have a recipe for disaster, which was on full display during the Phillies’ 10-game skid, their longest since 1999.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto shares thoughts about the firing of Rob Thomson and the naming of Don Mattingly as interim manager. @SportsRadioWIP @KYWNewsradio pic.twitter.com/94KCk9unEO
“It sucks that the players are the ones not playing well, and somebody else has to lose their job for it,” catcher J.T. Realmuto told reporters pregame, according to MLB.com.
Realmuto also said: “Days like today are just somber and unfortunate, because you never want to see somebody who we all liked and enjoyed go through what Rob's having to go through right now.
“You feel a little bit of accountability and you just feel bad for not playing well enough for him.”
Mattingly, a six-time All-Star for the New York Yankees during his playing days, has previously served as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-15) and the Miami Marlins (2016-22). For now, he’s got the Phillies’ lineup card.
But the club’s president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, admitted Tuesday that he first tried to hire recently fired Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora as Thomson’s replacement.
Dave Dombrowski spoke to Alex Cora about potentially managing the Phillies. pic.twitter.com/7M8fBPTElH
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 28, 2026