Phillies name Don Mattingly full-time manager, signing ex-Blue Jays coach to 2-year deal

The Philadelphia Phillies are keeping Don Mattingly as manager, removing his interim tag, and giving him a two-year deal even after a late season collapse nearly cost the team a playoff spot.

Team president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced the move Wednesday. Mattingly led the team to a 79-55 record and a spot in the post-season after he replaced Canadian manager Rob Thomson, who was fired in late April. The Phillies nearly blew a four-game lead for a wild card in the final week of the regular season, then lost in three games to Atlanta in the National League Wild Card Series.

The Phillies were 9-19 when they fired Thomson in April after he led the Phillies to four straight playoff appearances, including the 2022 World Series, and consecutive NL East titles.

Twice, former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora rebuffed Dombrowski, when the latter made the move to fire Thomson and again after the season ended, leaving him in both cases with Mattingly.

The 65-year-old Mattingly was hired last off-season after departing the Toronto Blue Jays to serve as a bench coach and had another year left on his contract.

With an MLB work stoppage on the table in December, leaving at least parts of next season in doubt, Mattingly is the safe and familiar choice to oversee a roster that includes Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and one of the top rotations in baseball.

Dombrowski has yet to hold his annual end-of-season press conference — he and Mattingly will speak Thursday, the team said. The Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs on Oct. 1.

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