During the 2026 season, the Philadelphia Phillies have faced significant upheaval. After a poor start to the year, the organization dismissed manager Rob Thomson. In the wake of that decision, Phillies star Bryce Harper has spoken publicly about Thomson’s departure.
Following a team victory on Monday, Harper told MLB.com, “I think we were all just waiting for that ball to drop, waiting for something to happen. Whether Topper was going to be let go or not, it felt like, ‘We need to break through this barrier and push past it,’ whatever form that took. So as a team, I feel like we just need to come out, play our brand of baseball, acknowledge that we didn’t perform well in the first few weeks. April is behind us now. We have to move forward, focus on stringing together good days, playing better, and keep that momentum going no matter our situation, what’s unfolding in the game, or anything else. Just build day by day and end up where we want to be.”
In Monday’s 1–0 win over the Miami Marlins, Harper hit a home run to help secure the victory. He now has seven homers on the year.
Phillies have improved since letting go of Rob Thomson
Thomson’s fate was sealed by a 10-game losing streak earlier in the season. Don Mattingly has since taken over as interim manager, and the team has responded well, posting a 6–1 record under his leadership.
With Monday’s win, Philadelphia has now taken seven of their last ten games. The Phillies currently hold a 15–20 record, placing them fourth in the NL East.
Despite Mattingly’s strong early performance, reports indicate he is not being considered for the permanent managerial role. The Phillies have shown interest in Alex Cora, though Cora has already turned down the job.
Philadelphia will next face the Athletics in a three-game series beginning Tuesday night.
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