The Philadelphia Phillies have settled the question of who will lead the club from the top step of the dugout. Don Mattingly, who took over as interim manager early in the 2026 season, has signed a two-year contract that will keep him in charge for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ President of Baseball Operations, announced the agreement.
The move rewards a season in which Mattingly steadied the club after being thrust into the job less than a month into the year. He becomes the 57th manager in franchise history with the interim label now removed.
A Strong Run After Taking Over in April
Mattingly stepped in on an interim basis on April 28 when Rob Thomson was fired after a 9-19 start by the team. Mattingly guided the Phillies to a 79-55 record the rest of the way. That works out to a .590 winning percentage, and it placed Philadelphia among the very best teams in baseball over that stretch.
From April 28 through the end of the regular season, only three clubs posted a better winning percentage than the Phillies. The Milwaukee Brewers led the way at 89-46 (.659), followed by the Tampa Bay Rays at 81-53 (.604) and the Los Angeles Dodgers at 80-53 (.602). Philadelphia’s mark ranked fourth in the majors over that span.
For a team that had to change direction so early in the season, that kind of consistency over more than 130 games made a strong case for keeping Mattingly in the role.
From Bench Coach to Manager in Less Than Four Months
Mattingly’s path to the Phillies’ managerial job was a quick one. The club originally hired him as bench coach on January 5, 2026, bringing a veteran baseball voice into the dugout. By late April, he had moved over to the manager’s chair.
That background as the bench coach gave him a head start. He already knew the roster, the coaching staff, and the inner workings of the clubhouse when he was asked to take over, which helped make for a smoother transition during the season. However, he was not the first choice of Dombrowski, who had offered the job to Alex Cora, who had been fired by the Boston Red Sox. Cora was offered the job prior to Thomson being fired, but he declined and elected to take time away from baseball. Cora also turned down Dombrowski when he again asked him about managing after the Phillies had been eliminated from the playoffs.
A Veteran Manager With a Proven Track Record
The Phillies are not handing the keys to a first-time skipper. Mattingly, 65, brings years of managerial experience to the job. Before his time in Philadelphia, he managed the Los Angeles Dodgers for five seasons from 2011 through 2015 and the Miami Marlins for seven seasons from 2016 through 2022.
His most notable season in Miami came in 2020, when he led the Marlins to a 31-29 record during the shortened campaign. That team reached the postseason for the first time since 2003, and Mattingly was named National League Manager of the Year for his work.
A Long Coaching Résumé
Mattingly’s coaching career at the major league level began in 2004, when he became the hitting coach for the New York Yankees. He held that job for three seasons before being promoted to bench coach for the 2007 season.
He then moved on to the Dodgers, serving as their hitting coach from 2008 through 2010 before taking over as Los Angeles manager in 2011. After his time leading the Marlins, he returned to a bench coach role, spending three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2023 through 2025 before joining the Phillies.
That mix of experience as a hitting coach, bench coach, and manager gives him a wide view of how a big league clubhouse operates.
One of the Yankees’ Most Celebrated Players
Long before he was making lineup cards, Mattingly was one of the best first basemen of his era. He spent his entire 14-year playing career with the Yankees, from 1982 through 1995.
His list of honors is a long one. Mattingly was a six-time American League All-Star and won the 1985 AL Most Valuable Player Award. He was also an outstanding defender, collecting nine Gold Glove Awards, including five straight from 1985 through 1989 and four straight from 1991 through 1994.
At the plate, he finished his career with a .307 lifetime batting average, 2,153 hits, 222 home runs, and 1,099 RBI across 1,785 games. The Yankees retired his No. 23 on August 31, 1997, and honored him with a plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.
A Family Connection in the Front Office
The Mattingly name carries weight in the Phillies’ front office as well. Don’s son, Preston Mattingly, serves as the club’s vice president and general manager.
What Comes Next
With the managerial question now answered, the Phillies can turn their full attention to the offseason and to building a roster for 2027. Mattingly’s steady hand over the final five months of 2026 earned him the chance to lead the club for the next two years, and the organization is betting that the success of that stretch can carry into the seasons ahead.
Both Mattingly and Dombrowski will meet with the media Thursday in separate sessions.
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