The Philadelphia Phillies are absolutely electric right now, pulling off one of the most incredible season turnarounds in recent memory after that brutal 9-19 start cost Rob Thomson his job. Interim manager Don Mattingly has stepped in and got them playing some seriously great baseball, especially in August, transforming them into one of the better teams in the league. They’re sitting in a Wild Card spot, breathing down the Atlanta Braves’ neck for that NL East lead, but here’s the kicker: Mattingly’s future in Philadelphia is wildly up in the air, and he might not even be there next season. How wild is that?
World Series or Bust for the Skipper?
This isn’t some normal coaching hot seat. Karl Rasmussen from Sports Illustrated highlighted the insane situation, saying there’s “no guarantee Mattingly, 65, will be the manager of the future in Philadelphia,” even with the team’s dramatic turnaround. Remember 2022? The Phillies canned Joe Girardi, Thomson stepped in as interim, they made it all the way to the World Series, and Thomson got the full-time gig. Well, the bar for Mattingly is even higher: unless he can lead this team to the World Series, and maybe even win the whole damn thing, it’s very likely the Phillies are moving on once the season wraps up. That’s a ridiculous amount of pressure for a guy who just saved their season!
The Cora Shadow Looming Large
It gets crazier, because there’s already a big name lurking in the background: Alex Cora. The former Boston Red Sox manager has been strongly linked to the Phillies ever since he was fired by Boston just days before Thomson got the axe. Apparently, Philadelphia even tried to get Cora as their interim manager initially, but he declined and decided to stay away from MLB for the rest of the year. Even with Mattingly’s own son, Preston Mattingly, serving as the general manager in Philadelphia, the Phillies’ brass under Dave Dombrowski is reportedly “more likely to look elsewhere” for their next manager. It really feels like only a World Series ring can save Mattingly’s job at this point, which is just insane given how well they’re playing.
So, Mattingly’s future remains deeply uncertain until the final out of the season. Everything is on the line, and you know those Phillies fans are gonna be on the edge of their seats, hoping their interim skipper can pull off the ultimate miracle. Speaking of wild MLB turns, our own Cal Raleigh is on track to hit the fewest homers after a 60+ homer season in MLB history. Just another crazy stat to chew on while we wait to see what happens in Philly!
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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