The Phillies’ latest postseason exit has led to some speculation about manager Rob Thomson’s job security, but Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post report that Thomson is “safe for 2026” and is expected to return to lead the Philadelphia dugout next year. The team is planning a formal announcement later in the week.
As pointed out by Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Thomson is just the fourth manager in major league history to lead any team to the postseason in each of his four years on the job. He’s also only the third Phillies manager to guide the club to consecutive NL East championships.
Thomson, 62, was elevated to the manager’s post midway through the 2022 season when Joe Girardi was fired. The team’s bench coach at the time, Thomson has now famously indicated that he was actually planning to retire at the end of that 2022 season before being reinvigorated by the promotion to manager.
In three-plus seasons at the helm, Thomson guided the Phillies to a 346-251 regular season record and steered the ’22 Phillies all the way to an NL Pennant and to Game 6 of the World Series before falling to the ’22 World Champion Astros. Thomson’s Phillies reached Game 7 of the NLCS against the Diamondbacks in 2023 but have now lost in the Division Series in consecutive seasons, falling to the ’24 Mets and the ’25 Dodgers.
Prior to his time as the Phillies’ manager, Thomson spent five years as the bench coach under Girardi. He was also the Yankees’ bench coach under Girardi, holding that position from 2008-17. He’d served as a major league coach with the Yankees prior, dating back to 2003, and has also held roles in their front office (specifically in player development) in addition to various coaching positions in the Yankees’ minor league ranks.
Though some fans might’ve hoped for a change in voice after four consecutive earlier-than-hoped playoff exits, it doesn’t seem that any such sentiment exists within the clubhouse. Phillies players emphatically voiced last week — via both Lauber and The Athletic’s Matt Gelb — that Thomson has their support.
“I love Topper, man,” Harper said after the team’s heartbreaking end to the season. “He’s done a great job for us. I don’t know what the future holds. I have no idea. I think that’s a [question for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski]. But obviously, we love Topper in here.” Teammate Trea Turner agreed wholeheartedly.
“I’ve been blessed with a lot of good managers in my career — I’ve probably played for four or five now, and they’ve all been really good — and he’s right up there with them,” said Turner. “He’s got all the qualities. He keeps it even-keeled all year long. He’s great, man. I don’t think you can ask for more out of a manager.”
Thomson is currently signed through the 2026 season. The Phillies inked him to a one-year extension last offseason — a move that prevented him from playing out the current campaign as a lame-duck manager. Perhaps they’ll go a similar route this time around, but for right now, Thomson’s contract is slated to conclude at the end of the ’26 season and is not believed to contain any kind of option for the 2027 season.
No word here on Mike Schildt yet?
It was literally the article they posted before this one.
Sounds like he’s retiring, not just resigning. Said the season took a huge toll on him, and after 36 years of coaching/managing, he’s ready to be done. Always liked him from the outside looking in. He was better in STL than the current turd they have in there. Maybe a little too old school for today’s game, but I think a lot of us still are. I love the game, and we’ll always follow, but these bullpen games in the playoffs, ghost runners at 10, and some of other changes, have kinda robbed the game of its natural feel. Nothing is ever gut anymore, the computers make most of the decisions. Some of the old school guys probably have a hard time with that. Cheers to retirement. We don’t all get there.
I see it now, it didn’t load for me at first. Haha
Me adding the word literally to my comment, turned it into kind of a d*ckhead response, and I apologize for that. Bad form on my part.
Just posted. I am wondering if Schildt has physical health issues. Hope they are issues that can be successfully addressed with a more relaxed routine, diet and moderate exercise.
This article made me think about a guy named Robbie Thompson who played for the Giants in the 80s. Heck of a ball player but not at all clutch.
I don’t know how Topper won 96 games with the injuries and suspension
I like Rob and the Phillies’ postseason failures fall more on the players, but I’m surprised the Phillies wouldn’t at least consider a change. Seems like the staff hasn’t done a great job preparing the players for October.
I’ve rarely had an issue with Thomson as manager but he is completely the reason they lost. He made the exact same mistake this year as he did last year…letting a relieve come into a tense situation, work his way out of it, and then let him sit for an inning and send him back out. Last year it was Jeff Hoffman, this year it was David Robertson in game 1. He had a completely rested bullpen, a day off the next day, and he gave the ball to an already tired Robertson instead of sending literally anyone out there. That one inning changed the entire course of the season for the Phillies and ruined the year. The bats going cold, not coming up clutch, Kierkering’s boneheaded play, etc.—all of it changes if the Phillies win the first game. This failure is 100% on Thomson.
I can’t argue this one bit. I think we all knew the series was over after Game 1. I know I sure did.
“Kierkering’s boneheaded play….is 100% on Thomson.” That makes no sense. It was Kierkering who misplayed the ball.
Orion should not have been that situation to begin with. Over the last two months of the season, his stats with inherited runners scoring are not good.
Not what I said. Kierkering’s knuckle headed play is complete on Kierkering and no one else. As is the bat’s going cold, not coming up clutch, etc. What I did say, however, was that everything changed when Thomson messed up the first game, putting them at a huge disadvantage.
Love how you use the three dots to connect two sentences though, as if pretending the rest of the sentence, the period separating the sentences, and the first words of the next sentence don’t exist.
Yeah, I am rarely one of those guys who thinks you need to make a change for change sake but damned if Rob’s actions this post season doesn’t push me there.
Plus…during the season I struggled to understand what the hell he was attempting to do with the outfield, why he didn’t do something about the boneheaded base running by Harper, Nick, et al regarding the stupid aggressiveness and finally, how about some sort of stability when it comes to the batting order?
100%? So no blame goes to the offense not putting the ball in play in crucial moments? Your top 3 hitters only getting 3 hits combined in 4 games? To put the blame squarely on Thomson is clueless.
It’s a short series where one play and momentum mean everything. The Phillies had the lead in game one at home. His decision cost them that game—exactly as the same decision did one year ago—and from there, desperation set in.
There are no excuses for anything that followed. The offense played terribly, there were multiple stupid plays on the base paths, in the field, and at the plate…but it’s all mitigated by a game one victory which Rob Thomson threw away.
So, yes, the failure of the 2025 Phillies rests squarely on the shoulders of their manager.
Worst in game manager in baseball. Doesn’t have a clue how to handle a pitching staff.
Don’t forget that he left a CLEARLY gassed Christopher Sanchez in the game until he gave up 2 runs, *then* went to the bullpen. Sure, the big guns not showing up share a lot of the blame, but Thomson has made stupid decision after stupid decision in the postseason.
Guys making bank like Trea Turner accumulating stats in regular season and not driving in runs in playoffs isn’t the manager. There’s a similar profile guy named Kyle Tucker who someone will guarantee 300mil+ (despite injury issues) even though he road coattails of Altuve/Yordan/Correa/Springer while in Houston.
Trea Turner won the NL batting title despite missing most of September through injury.
To crucify the skipper because his team didn’t become “World Champion” screams totally of Murica, F#&k Yeah!
TDS
Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Happens on both sides of the “aisle” now.
Ignore Agent Orange and your life will be better for it unless of course…
… you can’t.
Just like Franklin at PSU, Thomson isn’t taking us to the promised land. Sometimes you have to go from good to great. Great regular season record but then awful decision making in the playoffs have cost this team for multiple years. Too much righty lefty nonsense and lack of feel in tough spots. Not happy about this.
The Phillies’ “Let’s run it back!” Mentality has really worked well over the past four years. Every year under Thomson, they’ve done better in the regular season and worse in the postseason.
The Fightins’ benefited this summer from collapses in Atlanta and Queens. Don’t hoist the skipper on his petard for the broken-bat comebacker that led to the Dodgers winning the NLDS.
MOment was too big for Kerkering. Looked like he lost count of the outs. Not only that, but his record for stranding inherited runners the last month of the seasonm was terrible. I would have been best to stick with Luzardo in that spot.
That was all 100% on Thomson. Just as the bunt was in Game 2. Robertson in Game 1. Yes,the players have to play the games, but poor decisions from the Top don’t help matters.
And please don’t give me Monday morning QB as everyone knew it was over when Kerkering came in.
Beyond terrible decision. All this guy does is sit back and wait for the three run home run. When they get that this team wins when they don’t get it and it comes down to the ninth thinning and a managerial decision they rarely win. The only thing I hope for now is Dombrowski is gonna make this team manager proof by going out and making it unequivocally the best team in baseball.
No denying that. I had zero confidence in this squad in extra ininngs due to the managerial decisions and knowing these guys do not have the ability to play small ball.
Again, how anyone can declare that a player’s mistake is 100% on the manager is beyond me.
His pitching management needs some work as well.
This guy got his a$$ handed to him in the playoffs
I used to get on teams like the Mets and the Braves for caring about regular season but not doing it in the playoffs. Phillies are making the same mistake. How does the team choke three times in a row in the playoffs and the manager survive it. Of course the players love him because he doesn’t hold anybody accountable. With this aging core I think this move is the final nail in the coffin. Terrible decision.
This is feeling like 2009. They should have started to make changes then. Keep the band together isn’t going to work. Personally I feel Harper was playing hurt most of the season or has lost bat speed. He can’t catch up to a fastball right in the lane.
That’s what I think. I’m expecting to hear that Harper needs wrist surgery.
They did make a change in 2009. RTB traded Cliff Lee thinking he had enough pitching instead of teaming him with Halladay. They also didn’t backfill depth pieces well like Stairs, and Brunlett. Say what you want about the latter, but he could run and play all IF posotions.
Bruntlett, the solo triple play turner…how dare you!
They won’t learn!
His brilliant managerial decisions have been a blessing to every team he’s faced in the playoffs. Let’s run it all back again!
Phillies didn’t reach game 7 vs d’backs. Dbacks reached game 7 when the Phillies were up 3-2.
A number of their starters are free agents, I didn’t see Nick castelanos back after he was benched down the stretch. Their window is slowly closing.
My dad will be thrilled to pieces over this
Stupidity continues.
Thompson might be “safe for 2026” but that doesn’t mean his seat isn’t getting a little warm underneath him.. 4 straight trips to the playoffs has yielded one pennant, one NLCS loss and 2 NLDS losses both of which they were out in 4. Another slow start next season might do him in
You still have wait until 2027 to truly hire a long term manager
Not necessarily. The current long term manager was hired 51 games into the ’22 season…
Absurd decision to keep him. The worst argument for keeping him is that players love him. Great leaders aren’t those who are the most loved, they are those who get the best results.