Holy cow, remember that Phillies season? Just a month in, they were staring down the absolute worst record in baseball, a total disaster unfolding before our eyes. Nothing was going right for them. But then, a massive change dropped, shaking everything up in Philadelphia. The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson, naming Don Mattingly their interim manager. As MLB Trade Rumors’ Anthony Franco put it, “There’s a major shakeup in Philadelphia. The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday morning. Don Mattingly is the interim skipper, with the team’s press release saying he’ll hold that position for the remainder of the 2026 season.” What a moment for that club, right?
Mattingly’s Unbelievable Flip of the Script
After stepping into that interim role, Mattingly did something incredible. He rallied the locker room, got everyone on board, and led a complete turnaround. The Phillies, who looked dead in the water, clawed their way back and made the playoffs! You gotta be kidding me, what a comeback! Naturally, they locked him down. ESPN reported, “Don Mattingly, who guided the Philadelphia Phillies to the postseason after taking over as interim manager just 28 games into the season, will return as the team’s manager after signing a two-year deal, it was announced Wednesday.” It felt like a no-brainer, the guy saved their season, so you bring him back. End of story, right? Well, maybe not.
The Secret Hunt For Another Guy
Here’s where it gets wild. It turns out Mattingly might not have been the Phillies’ first choice for the gig. Can you believe that? Even after that epic turnaround, Philadelphia was reportedly exploring other options. They reportedly had strong interest in bringing back former All-Star Raul Ibanez, who is currently the vice president of baseball development and special projects for the Los Angeles Dodgers. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale spilled the tea: “The Phillies also had strong interest and spoke recently with Raul Ibanez, their outfielder in 2009-2011, about becoming their manager. He opted to stay in his job as vice president of baseball development and special projects for the Dodgers.” So, Ibanez said thanks, but no thanks, to leading the club he once played for.
This is a massive wrinkle. It shows Mattingly’s full-time return wasn’t the only plan on the table. The Phillies clearly checked out other candidates before committing to him. They even seemed interested in keeping Mattingly on the coaching staff, just not necessarily as the top guy. Talk about a delicate situation!
Looking ahead to next season, this whole situation puts Mattingly in a super interesting spot. If the Phillies start to struggle early on, you have to wonder just how patient the organization will be. Especially knowing they had eyes for Ibanez. Mattingly proved he can turn things around once, but the stakes are incredibly high now. We’ll be watching to see if he can keep the ship steady and prove he was the right choice all along.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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