Don Mattingly Named Phillies Manager After Alex Cora Declines Second Offer
The interim skipper will return for the 2027 season, with Cora opting to sit out another year.
The Philadelphia Phillies are set to name Don Mattingly, who managed the team on an interim basis for most of the 2026 season, as their full-time manager for the 2027 season. This decision comes after Alex Cora declined the Phillies' managerial job for a second time. Cora had previously turned down the position before the Phillies promoted Mattingly in late April after parting ways with Rob Thomson.
Mattingly, who was already under contract for 2027 as part of his agreed-upon bench coach role for the 2026 campaign, had been considered a strong candidate to return. This development comes as a surprise to some, as a report following the team's wild-card exit in October suggested Mattingly would be dismissed but offered an advisory role. He told the Associated Press in July that he would welcome the opportunity to manage the team beyond the 2026 season.
The Phillies, led by President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski, had pursued Cora, with whom Dombrowski previously worked for a World Series-winning Red Sox team in 2018. However, Cora cited family reasons for his decision to not return to managing for the 2027 season. The team's decision to retain Mattingly may also be influenced by the anticipation of a potential lockout, which could complicate the hiring of a new manager.
Mattingly took over a Phillies team with a 9-19 record and guided them to a 79-55 finish, securing the third National League wild-card spot. Despite this turnaround, the team's postseason exit against the Braves continued a trend of disappointing playoff performances since their 2022 World Series appearance. The Phillies have not advanced past the Wild Card round since that World Series, suffering losses in the NLCS, NLDS, NLDS, and Wild Card round in the subsequent seasons.
Mattingly's son, Preston, currently serves as the team's general manager. The team faces questions about its aging core and offensive depth beyond key players like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, with Mattingly now tasked with maximizing the performance of the current roster.