The Phillies’ recent playoff exit has prompted some speculation about head coach Rob Thomson’s job security, but Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post report that Thomson is “safe in 2026” and is expected to return to Philadelphia next year to lead the team. The team plans to make a formal announcement later this week.
As Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer noted, Thomson is just the fourth manager in major league history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his four years there. He was also the third Phillies manager to lead the club to consecutive NL East titles.
Thomson, 62, was promoted to head coach after Joe Girardi was fired midway through the 2022 season. Thomson, then the team’s bench coach, has now stated that he actually plans to retire after the 2022 season and then be promoted to head coach to rejuvenate.
In more than three seasons coaching the Phillies, Thomson led the Phillies to a 346-251 regular season record and led the ’22 Phillies all the way to the NL pennant and to Game 6 of the World Series before losing 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 back-to-back seasons, losing to the ’24 Mets and ’25 Dodgers.
Thomson spent five years as a bench coach under Girardi before becoming the Phillies’ head coach. He was also the Yankees’ bench coach under Girardi, serving in that role from 2008-17. He was a major league coach with the Yankees back in 2003, and in addition to various coaching roles in the Yankees’ minor leagues, he also held roles in the Yankees’ front office, specifically in player development.
There will be more to come.
