Don Mattingly named full-time Philadelphia Phillies manager

Don Mattingly has officially been named the full-time manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, signing a new two-year contract that extends his leadership through the 2028 season. Mattingly previously served as the team's bench coach and later as an interim manager after Rob Thomson was dismissed following a 9-19 start to the 2026 season. Under Mattingly's guidance, the Phillies went 79-55 and secured a National League Wild Card spot.

Mattingly noted that the previous season was not entirely his own, stating, “Last year really wasn’t my team. It was Thomps’ team. I took over from that point and just kind of just drove the car from there.” He expressed a desire to implement his own vision for the team during upcoming offseasons.

Before finalizing the deal with Mattingly, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski reportedly reached out to former players Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez to gauge their interest in the managerial position. Both players, who currently work for the Los Angeles Dodgers, politely declined the opportunity.