Rob Thomson replacements: Don Mattingly, Alex Cora among names Phillies could hire as next manager

Rob Thomson replacements: Don Mattingly, Alex Cora among names Phillies could hire as next manager originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The MLB managerial carousel is in full swing just one month into the season, and the Philadelphia Phillies joined it on Tuesday.

The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson after parts of five seasons, responding to a dismal 9-19 start with a massive change just three days after the Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora amidst their own ugly start. Thomson reached the World Series as an interim manager in 2022 and won at least 90 games in each of his three full seasons with the Phillies, but after an NLDS exit last October, expectations in 2026 have not been met. Here's a look at six candidates who could replace Thomson on a full-time basis.

MORE: Why Phillies fired Rob Thomson after rough start to 2026 season Rob Thomson replacements for Phillies Dale Zanine-Imagn Images 1. Don Mattingly The Phillies likely didn't plan for Thomson to be their full-time Joe Girardi replacement in 2022, but the universe had other plans. With so much of the season still remaining and a talented (albeit aging) roster at his disposal, interim manager Don Mattingly has a chance to prove he's worthy of the full-time job.

Whether Mattingly, 65, would want the job, or whether the Phillies would be willing to hand the keys to someone in the latter stages of his career is uncertain. Philadelphia could be entering a rebuild or at least a transitional period if this season doesn't end well, and it's unclear whether Mattingly would want to be part of that. Three of the last five Phillies managers started out in an interim role before earning the full-time job, so this scenario isn't something the organization is unfamiliar with.