Phillies keep Don Mattingly as manager, extend his contract through 2028 season
Mattingly signs contract through 2028 after serving as interim manager following Rob Thomson's dismissal
Quick Look
- The Philadelphia Phillies have officially named Don Mattingly as their full-time manager through the 2028 season.
- Mattingly, who took over as interim manager in 2026, will lead the team following a period of roster uncertainty and a Wild Card Series exit.
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Why It Matters
The Phillies have made the playoffs for five consecutive seasons but have seen their postseason progress decline since the 2022 World Series run. Don Mattingly is the father of current Phillies GM Preston Mattingly.
The Philadelphia Phillies have retained Don Mattingly as their full-time manager. The team made the announcement Wednesday morning and said Mattingly has signed a contract through the 2028 season.
Mattingly entered this past season as the Phillies' bench coach behind manager Rob Thomson. Thomson took over in 2022 after Joe Girardi was fired and took the Phillies to the World Series, not missing the playoffs as manager. But after a 9-19 start in 2026, Thomson was dismissed and Mattingly took over as interim manager. Under Mattingly, the Phillies immediately got hot and crawled back into contention. They went 79-55 under Mattingly and finished with an 88-74 record, avoiding a near collapse in the final week of the regular season to clinch the NL's final playoff spot. The Phillies were then bounced in the Wild Card Series by the Braves in three games.
Mattingly never dropped the interim tag during the season, but is under contract in 2027 as the team's bench coach. The Phillies were linked to ex-Red Sox manager Alex Cora since he was fired by Boston in April and even offered him the managerial job in April when Thomson was fired. Cora has a strong relationship with club president Dave Dombrowski, but he again turned down the Phillies gig earlier this month.
The Phillies will now keep Mattingly in the dugout, going with a manager familiar with the roster as an uncertain offseason looms with a lockout expected to begin in December.
An interesting note here is that the Phillies general manager is Preston Mattingly, Don's son. It's a difficult thing to track down as great records weren't always kept, but it is believed that this is the first such pairing on an MLB ballclub.
Mattingly, 65, is in his third stint as a big-league manager. He was at the helm of the Dodgers from 2011-15, winning three NL West titles. But he was dismissed after not advancing to the World Series with a 1-3 record in postseason series. He then managed the Marlins from 2016-22, making the playoffs and winning NL Manager of the Year in 2020. His most recent job before joining the Phillies was serving as bench coach for the 2025 Blue Jays, helping win the AL pennant.
As things stand, the Phillies have made the playoffs five straight seasons, though they've gone backward. After the 2022 run to the World Series, they made the NLCS in 2023, the NLDS in 2024 and 2025 before the Wild Card Series this past season.
Open Questions
- How will the team address roster aging during the upcoming offseason?
- Will the expected December lockout impact team operations?
