Phillies Manager Delivers Fiery Speech After Clinching Wild Card Spot
Don Mattingly's expletive-laden address rallied the Philadelphia Phillies following their Game 162 victory to secure a postseason berth.
The Philadelphia Phillies secured the final National League Wild Card spot with a 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 162, prompting a passionate locker room speech from interim manager Don Mattingly.
Mattingly's message to his team, which included significant expletive usage, emphasized the importance of making the playoffs regardless of the path taken. "F--- that, it doesn’t matter how you get in, you just got to get in. And we’re f---ing in," he stated before the team's celebration.
The Phillies finished the regular season with an 88-74 record out of the NL East. Their journey to the postseason was fraught with challenges, including a 9-19 start that led to the dismissal of manager Rob Thomson early in the 2026 season. Mattingly was then tasked with guiding the team back on track.
Philadelphia experienced a resurgence under new leadership but faced a late-season slump. In the final weeks, they fought to maintain their Wild Card position, and by the season's last game, they had lost six of their previous eight contests. This put them in a win-or-go-home scenario against the American League's top team, the Tampa Bay Rays. However, the Phillies' playoff spot was ultimately secured when the San Diego Padres defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in their final game, easing the pressure on Philadelphia.
Despite clinching a spot, the team's pitching plans for the Wild Card Series were impacted, as ace Zack Wheeler had to start the decisive Game 162. The Phillies are now set to face the NL East champion Atlanta Braves in a best-of-three series beginning Tuesday.