Will Rob Thomson Return As Phillies Manager in 2026?
One of only three eras of sustained championship contention in Philadelphia Phillies history has reached its brink after a fourth consecutive disappointment in the MLB Postseason. Instead of consideration for…
One of only three eras of sustained championship contention in Philadelphia Phillies history has reached its brink after a fourth consecutive disappointment in the MLB Postseason.
Instead of consideration for National League Manager of the Year after a 96-win season, Rob Thomson now faces uncertainty with one year remaining on his contract, looming offseason roster changes, and an ownership group demanding World Series results.
"If you talk to John Middleton, he can’t rave enough about Dave Dombrowski. If they fall short, is Rob Thomson’s job safe? He’d be much, much more vulnerable than anybody else I think in that front office. The team’s supposed to be in the World Series. The team’s supposed to win the World Series. I think to come up short once again would be hard to swallow.”
Will the Phillies make a managerial change after fading from the National League Division Series for the second consecutive Red October?
The pressing question in the immediate aftermath of a heartbreaking defeat lends itself to debates about regular season and playoff performance, the overall impact of a manager on a ball club, and the direction of an organization with dooming historical parallels.
Rob Thomson
The Phillies promoted Thomson on an interim basis to replace Joe Girardi in June 2022. The shifted dynamic stunned skeptics who suspected midseason coaching changes only sparked turnarounds in the NHL.
The baseball lifer produced immediately, guiding a surprise trip to the World Series in 2022. He’s overseen four playoff seasons with a glowing 346-251 record that lands him at the top of the modern franchise record books with a .580 winning percentage.
However, a National League pennant, two division championships, and two Wild Card berths won’t distract the nation's most intense sports market from the lack of a World Series ring.
Photo by Colin Newby | BBGI PhiladelphiaMajor market franchises don’t typically show great patience in professional sports, especially in Major League Baseball, where the lack of a salary cap heightens financial advantages drastically. The Phillies spent lucratively with the fourth highest MLB payroll in 2025.
Thomson’s calm demeanor in the face of pressure and intensity helped the Phillies navigate a season defined by the weight of World Series expectations. His ability to build and maintain relationships with his players has kept a clubhouse of high-profile stars – with resumes begun mostly in other MLB organizations – steady through a four-year period of championship contention.
Evaluation of his performance doesn’t justify a managerial change, but ownership groups don’t operate based on a just world.
Managing partner John Middleton will instead focus on the pressing questions.
- How much blame falls on a manager when a roster full of high-priced stars falls short of World Series expectations?
- Could a replacement manager add a playoff edge that the Phillies have lacked in recent seasons?
- Could the Phillies benefit from a new dynamic with a new voice and a different message than the one that hasn’t successfully led them to meet their World Series goals?
Phillies Face Crucial MLB Offseason
Nightengale’s insight about the Phillies organization aligns with common power dynamics in modern MLB organizations. Front offices carry significantly more influence than managers, who no longer operate autonomously from the dugout.
Dombrowski joined the Phillies entering the 2021 season with two World Series rings to his credit. He replaced Girardi a year and half later with a respected veteran bench coach who has exceeded all reasonable expectations. However, Thomson hasn’t become as integral to the operation as a future Hall of Fame executive who’s spent aggressively to build one of the best rosters in the majors.
Nightengale previously told 97.5 The Fanatic that Dombrowski might've pursued Alex Cora as a replacement for Thomson after the 2024 NLDS loss to the Mets if the Red Sox hadn't extended Cora.
The Phillies have reached a crossroad with their current offensive core of high-priced stars.
The club has leaned heavily on investments in Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Nick Castellanos, and Trea Turner in recent seasons with minimal changes around them, especially in 2024 and 2025.
Dombrowski now faces a necessity to remake the team's dynamic. But how?
It’s difficult to imagine both Schwarber and Realmuto leaving in free agency. Harper and Turner are under long-term contracts. The Phillies will retain most of a pitching staff that carried them to the NL East title in 2025.
Does the flexibility to hire a new manager to replace Thomson, who last October received only a one-year extension through 2026, prove too tempting for Dombrowski?
The Phillies wouldn’t necessarily fire Thomson if they chose to replace him. The 62-year-old considered retirement before unexpectedly replacing Girardi in 2022, so accepting another job as a major league manager might not become a priority if he loses the opportunity in Philadelphia.
An organization that prioritizes alumni relations has also honored former managers admirably. Larry Bowa still participates in infield practice at age 79 before joining his close friend Charlie Manuel in the press box at Citizens Bank Park for home games. Rob Thomson could get the opportunity to join the two senior advisors.
Replacement Candidates
The Phillies won’t change managers based on Thomson’s lack of regular season track record. The logic to hire any replacement would have to include an identifiable edge the organization believes will help them win in the postseason.
Untimely hitting slumps have sunk the Phillies more impactfully than any other weakness during their past four postseason runs, a reality that any manager has very little control over.
The most identifiable difference between managing during the regular season and the postseason is bullpen strategy. While Thomson sensibly expected his best pitchers to execute in key turning point innings during the 2025 NLDS, his leaky bullpen still reflects negatively on his ability to manage during the postseason.
Philadelphia fans will inevitably question a manager’s decisions with the benefit of hindsight after any heartbreaking loss, often unfairly. However, it’s not debatable that Dave Roberts deployed his most talented pitchers more effectively in the NLDS.
Photo by Norm Hall/Getty ImagesBruce Bochy and the Texas Rangers unexpectedly parted ways after the 2025 regular season. He carries a reputation for shrewd bullpen management after winning four World Series in his lengthy career as a skipper. Would the 70-year-old accept another managing job with the contending Phillies on the verge of the ultimate prize?
The alternative option for a manager like Bruce Bochy with an established World Series track record and one identifiable strength that factors into the evaluation of postseason performance could appeal to Dombrowski.
Buster Olney also mentioned Brad Ausmus as a logical replacement candidate because of Ausmus' previous experience working under Dombrowski with the Detroit Tigers.
Rob Thomson didn’t fail the Phillies in their NLDS loss. However, his future in the dugout at Citizens Bank Park is in serious question.
“I appreciate what they’ve (players have) done all year. They prepared, competed, picked each other up. True professionals the entire year, and I'm extremely proud of how they went about their business. I’m proud that I'm their manager to tell you the truth, and that goes for the coaching staff. It goes for all the support staff, just a really elite group of people.”
-Rob Thomson
