Phillies remove interim tag, sign manager Don Mattingly to two-year contract
Mattingly, who led the Phillies to a 79-55 record as interim manager, is now under contract through the 2028 season, the team announced on Wednesday.
Don Mattingly is coming back.
The Phillies have removed the interim tag and signed Mattingly to a two-year contract for 2027 and 2028, the club announced Wednesday.
Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as interim manager in April after a dismal 9-19 start. Under Mattingly, the Phillies went 79-55, made the playoffs as the third wild-card team in the National League, and were eliminated by the Braves in three games.
» READ MORE: Murphy: Alex Cora did the smart thing. The Phillies will be fine with Don Mattingly. But, really, who cares?
Since then, the manager position for 2027 has been in limbo. While Red Sox manager Chad Tracy and Mets manager Andy Green both had their interim tags removed in-season and were signed to extensions, the Phillies waited two weeks after the wild-card series concluded to determine their plan.
Former Red Sox manager Alex Cora was previously viewed as a likely candidate for the role due to his history with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, but last week Cora turned down the position for the second time, according to a league source.
Over Mattingly’s 13-year managerial career, which includes stints with the Dodgers and Marlins, he has a 968-1,005 overall record. He won Manager of the Year in 2020 with Miami. With the Phillies, he will continue to work under his son, Preston, who has been general manager since 2025.
Scott Lauber contributed to this article.
The Phillies haven't won a playoff series since 2023, and their postseasons keep getting shorter and shorter. How can they fix it? Radio play-by-play announcer Scott Franzke joins Phillies Extra, The Inquirer's baseball podcast, to discuss Trea Turner's future, the managerial uncertainty, whether the Phillies can get "creative" to change the mix of the roster, and more. Watch here.
You can also subscribe to the podcast version of Phillies Extra on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Previous episodes: Larry Andersen | Matt Klentak | Jeff Francoeur | Luke Murton | Mike Hazen | Tony Gwynn Jr. | Kevin Stocker | Bobby Dickerson | Jim Bowden | John Middleton
