On This Date in Phillies History, the team says “good-bye” to an old friend and “Hello” to a new manager. And, it was a good day for relievers to be born on. Oh, and there’s our daily Deeper Dive segment, too.

Phillies events that occurred on October 24

  • October 24, 2019 — Joe Girardi hired as Phillies manager. The Phillies announced Joe Girardi would become the club’s 55th manager, replacing Gabe Kapler and beginning a new managerial era for the team.
  • October 24, 1980 — Tim McCarver released by the Phillies. The longtime major‑league catcher and soon‑to‑be broadcaster was released by the Phillies shortly after the club’s first World Series championship season.
  • October 24, 2014 — Jimmy Rollins named co‑recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award. Rollins shared the honor that recognizes commitment to community service, highlighting his charitable work and outreach in the Philadelphia area.

Phillies players, managers, executives, and broadcasters born on October 24

  • Tanner Banks (1991) – Left‑handed pitcher who was acquired by the Phillies and added bullpen depth after making his major‑league debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2022. Noted for a steady, craft‑lefty relief profile.
  • Arthur Rhodes (1969) – A left‑handed relief pitcher who spent part of the 2006 season with the Philadelphia Phillies after a long major‑league career that included a 2011 World Series ring and an All‑Star appearance in 2010.
  • Rawley Eastwick (1965) – Eastwick pitched for the Phillies in 1978 and ’79. The right‑handed reliever won consecutive World Series and led the National League in saves with the Cincinnati Reds earlier in his career.

A DEEPER DIVE… The “Joe Girardi Era”

Joe Girardi arrived in Philadelphia with a reputation built over three distinct baseball lives: solid major league catcher, successful big-league manager, and increasingly prominent broadcaster. He is often introduced as the pragmatic, detail-oriented baseball man who caught historic games as a player, won a World Series as a manager, and then translated that experience into television analysis.

Playing career highlights

Girardi played 15 seasons as a catcher for the Cubs, Rockies, Yankees, and Cardinals and finished with a career batting average of .267 with 36 home runs, and 422 RBI. He was a respected defensive presence who handled pitching staffs and was the backstop for both Dwight Gooden’s no-hitter and David Cone’s perfect game, moments that cemented his reputation for game-calling and preparation. Girardi’s best offensive seasons came in the mid-1990s with Colorado and in 1996 with the Yankees when he hit .294 while helping New York’s veteran core. He was an All-Star in 2000 and collected three World Series rings as a player with the Yankees in the late 1990s.

Managerial arc before Philadelphia

After retiring, Girardi moved into coaching and then managing, winning NL Manager of the Year with the Marlins in 2006 despite a one-year tenure there. He then became the Yankees’ manager from 2008 to 2017, a run that included the 2009 World Series title and a reputation for meticulous preparation and firm clubhouse management. Over his managerial career he amassed more than 1,100 wins across stints in Florida, New York, and Philadelphia, and his overall managerial winning percentage sits above .540.

The Girardi era in Philadelphia

Philadelphia hired Girardi in October 2019 with expectations that his Yankees experience and steady hand could help a talented, veteran roster get to October and beyond. The first season under unusual pandemic conditions produced a modest start. In 2021 the Phillies went 82-80 and flirted with higher expectations the front office had set for them. Girardi’s approach emphasized bullpen rules and matchup discipline, which in some cases clashed with the evolving three-batter strategy that reshaped how managers use relievers.

By 2022 the roster construction, defensive shortcomings, and bullpen instability had become central talking points. The Phillies’ defense rated poorly and blown saves had been a chronic issue during Girardi’s tenure. Those problems, combined with disagreements about bullpen usage and the team’s inability to consistently string together wins, contributed to the organization’s decision to change voices in the clubhouse in June of 2022. Girardi was relieved of his duties with the club sitting at 22-29 that season. Rob Thomson, a longtime lieutenant and Girardi’s bench coach, took over and eventually led the club through different results.

While Girardi’s time in Philadelphia didn’t produce the postseason stability fans hoped for, his presence did bring structure and a managerial pedigree that the front office believed would complement the lineup. The era highlighted the tension between old-school managerial routines and the fast-evolving analytics and bullpen trends that have reshaped modern roster construction and in-game strategy.

Broadcasting and what came next

After leaving Philadelphia, Girardi moved smoothly into broadcasting where his knowledge and clarity made him a frequent analyst for MLB Network, Fox, Marquee, and YES. He joined YES as an analyst for Yankees coverage and also appeared on Cubs telecasts, bringing the same methodical breakdowns of strategy that defined his managerial style. Many observers argue that his temperament and deep game knowledge have made him a natural fit for the booth, where he can explain decisions without the day-to-day pressure of managing a clubhouse.

Legacy and a final thought

The Joe Girardi era in Philadelphia is best remembered as a high-expectation chapter that didn’t fully align with results. His broader legacy is more balanced. He rose from a reliable big-league catcher to a World Series-winning manager and then to a respected television analyst. For fans who loved his attention to detail, the best parts of his brand of baseball remain visible in his broadcasts and in the way he continues to teach the game to viewers who want to understand not just what happened, but why it happened.