The Philadelphia Phillies were among the clubs that decided to switch managers during the 2026 MLB regular season. But in contrast to teams like the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets, the Phillies have flourished since making that move. Under Don Mattingly’s guidance, they’ve developed into one of baseball’s premier lineups.
Given Philadelphia’s strong performance, it’s natural to question whether Mattingly might be in line to take over the role on a full-time basis he’s currently serving as the interim skipper after Rob Thomson was dismissed with the team sitting at 9-19. Yet no matter how well Mattingly manages the Phillies going forward, it doesn’t appear the permanent gig will be his. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, Philadelphia is expected to revisit talks with Alex Cora and ultimately bring him on board.
Phillies positioned as frontrunners to land Alex Cora as manager
When Cora was let go by the Red Sox, the Phillies reportedly contacted him to see if he’d be interested in stepping into their vacancy. He turned them down at the time, but that stance seems likely to shift once the offseason arrives and more clubs start pursuing him. Nightengale also noted that while their NL East rivals, the Mets, would eagerly welcome Cora as their manager, that scenario isn’t projected to materialize.
“While the New York Mets would love to hire Alex Cora as their next manager, Cora still is expected to join the Phillies after rejecting their offer to replace Rob Thomson, who the club fired on April 28. The Phillies instead turned to Don Mattingly. Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran is the favorite for the Mets’ vacancy when interim manager Andy Green returns to the front office this winter,” Nightengale wrote.
Philadelphia recently secured an impressive series victory over their division rivals, and it seems they’re also poised to get the better of them in the Cora sweepstakes come the offseason. This outcome isn’t entirely unexpected, given Cora’s existing ties to the Phillies organization most notably through Dave Dombrowski, who was running Boston’s front office when Cora was hired as manager ahead of the 2018 campaign, a year that ended with a Red Sox World Series championship.
Cora has compiled considerable success as a major league manager, all of it in Boston. His regular-season mark stands at 620-541, and he owns an 18-10 postseason record, though the club never came close to capturing another title after that initial championship season. Philadelphia shapes up as an ideal destination for Cora, especially with the franchise currently positioned as a win-now club. His prior experience with a championship run would certainly be a valuable asset in the dugout if a deal ultimately comes together.
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