The Philadelphia Phillies will have to address the long-term situation with their manager. Don Mattingly is filling the role on an interim basis, sparking speculation about who will lead the team in 2027.
Mattingly is open to the idea of managing beyond this season.
“I would do it,” Mattingly told ESPN’s Buster Olney, video courtesy of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I committed myself to two years with the Phillies when I came over. So, whatever Dave (Dombrowski) wants to do in that regard. But yeah, I think I would like to do it.”
Mattingly’s track record speaks for itself. Since being named the manager on April 28, the Phillies have gone 42-22 this season. A National League East deficit that once looked insurmountable has shrunk to just two games just days before the All-Star break.
Phillies Still Linked to Former Red Sox Manager
With the Phillies’ impending managerial search, the other big name linked to the job is former Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Cora has history with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, as the latter hired the former in Boston ahead of the 2018 season.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported in his Sunday column for July 5 that Cora is still expected to join the Phillies. The former Red Sox manager turned down Philadelphia when they fired Rob Thomson, leading to Don Mattingly being elevated from bench coach to the interim manager instead.
If the Phillies replace Mattingly with Cora, the question then shifts to Mattingly’s fate with the club. One option could be for him to revert to bench coach with a new manager in place. Considering his track record with this roster, he’d make for a valuable bench coach for any manager.
The decision on who the Phillies opt to go with depends on what Cora decides to do. Mattingly stated that he’d be in Philadelphia for two years, so the club may have to search for his replacement after the 2027 season.
Perhaps that explains their interest in Cora, rather than just naming Mattingly as the permanent manager. If the former Red Sox skipper goes elsewhere, then the Phillies can remove the interim tag from Mattingly.
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