The hammer finally fell on Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thompson on Tuesday morning. After a poor 9–19 start and losing 11 of their last 12, the club fired the manager a month into his fifth season. Bench coach – and former captain of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins – Don Mattingly has been given the keys to the team as interim manager and will be asked to guide them back into playoff contention over the remainder of the season.
Thompson’s dismissal ended a more than four-year run where the Phillies were a consistent playoff team, reaching the World Series in their first season (2022), but never reaching the potential of an expensive roster. While Mattingly is a solid replacement who could turn this campaign around, things could go in a bad direction in the coming months.
If Mattingly can’t save the Phillies this season, let’s take a look at five potential options to take over as full-time manager next season.
Albert Pujols, Angels special assistant and team DR manager
St. Louis Cardinals icon Albert Pujols has quietly emerged as an intriguing managerial candidate in baseball circles. Since retiring four years ago, he has worked as a special assistant for the Los Angeles Angels and was a candidate for their manager’s job in the fall.
In March, he offered evidence of his captaincy skills when he guided a star-studded Dominican Republic team to the World Baseball Classic semifinals. Showing he can deal with a room full of big personalities and egos. This, along with his impressive resume as a player, would make him an interesting choice for the Phillies’ job.
David Ross, former Cubs manager
If the Phillies are looking for a manager again this fall, another interesting veteran skipper who could come into play is former Chicago Cubs manager David Ross. Although he wasn’t amazing in Chi-Town, he was still very solid, and the team had a record of 83–79 before being replaced by Craig Council.
Ross deserves another shot as a manager and is well prepared for the pressures of this market after years as a player and manager in Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago.
Alex Cora, former Red Sox manager
Last weekend, the Boston Red Sox surprised many when they fired manager Alex Cora after eight seasons. While the team has had a few losing seasons under his watch (including an 11-17 start this year), the 50-year-old has had some very good years in Beantown, including a World Series victory in 2018.
Furthermore, he remains one of the most respected managers in the game because he brought the best out of the talent he had. He wasn’t the one to trade stars like Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman or let them walk. Or continued to spend big to improve the roster despite being in a bigger market.
A new report claims the Phillies actually offered Thompson a job after deciding to move on from him. However, he chose to pass up the opportunity and spend time with his family. He may have a different priority in November.
Rodney Linares, Rays bench coach
Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Rodney Linares has emerged as a top managerial candidate in baseball circles. He has been in baseball for over two decades and has earned a reputation for being strong in the area of player development. Played a key role in turning several prospects into stars, including Jose Altuve.
However, he has become a favorite of the players due to his coaching style. The 48-year-old will bring a fresh perspective to the Phillies clubhouse.
James Rawson, Yankees hitting coach
Another up-and-coming coach is the New York Yankees’ hitting coach, James Rawson. He has received much praise for his ability to connect with players and blend analytics with baseball psychology. He has had success at several stops and was in the running for the Minnesota Twins job late last year before choosing to remain with the Yanks. Rawson will likely be on the Phillies radar if they don’t retain Mattingly in 2027.
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