The Philadelphia Phillies are removing the interim tag and making Don Mattingly the club’s next full-time manager, first reported by Matt Gelb and Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic.
The move provides continuity in the dugout, but it does little to answer the larger question facing the organization.
Will the Phillies make major changes to the roster to get beyond their postseason disappointments?
It’s been nearly two weeks since the team was bounced out of the Wild Card series by Atlanta and Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is yet to have his end-of-season conference, where questions about the team’s direction and plans for the roster are likely to take center stage.
As an unhappy fan base calls for significant changes to both the roster and even in the front office, bringing back Mattingly signals continuity rather than a broader organizational overhaul. Instead of looking outward and conducting a search for a new manager, the Phillies decided to look in, taking the familiarity route with Mattingly.
With an owner-imposed work stoppage expected to begin on Dec. 2 that will prohibit team officials from having contact with players, at least Mattingly already has a relationship with the core players which would allow a more fluid transition if the 2027 season is shortened.
“Donnie Baseball” became the third different manager for the Phillies since 2020 and will embark on his 14th season as a manager. He got his start with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2011-15 before spending 2016-22.
Mattingly went 79-55 after taking over for Rob Thomson in late April and was under contract until the end of the 2027 season to serve as Thomson’s right-hand man as the bench coach. His contract will need to be reworked for him to be the full-time manager.
While Mattingly is well-respected by the players and the front office, where his son Preston is the general manager, his tenure as the interim manager did not go without some questionable decisions while the team needed to win in Game 162 to avoid one of the biggest collapses in MLB history.
Some of his decisions were also hampered by an inconsistent lineup, and in particular, a bullpen that fizzled out, which were bigger issues than some of Mattingly’s in-game decision-making.
The 65-year-old resonated with the players by sharing past experiences from his excellent playing career. The 1985 American League MVP and 9-time Gold Glove winner has been around the big leagues for more than four decades as a player, coach and manager. Despite being what one would call a “lifer”, Mattingly is still chasing an elusive World Series title. He came closest in 2025 with the Toronto Blue Jays who were two outs away from upsetting the Dodgers. He retired as a player in 1995, just before the Yankees’ won four championships in a five year span.
Mattingly, who was the second choice again for the Phillies after former Red Sox manager Alex Cora turned down the chance a second time to take over, will inherit another Phillies team with championship aspirations and a fan base eager to see the franchise return to the top for the first time since 2008.
For a team where it feels like things have gotten stale with earlier than expected playoff departures and the same-looking roster over the last few years, major changes could still be on the horizon.
It just won’t start with who fills out the lineup card next season.
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