Phillies Retain Don Mattingly on Two-Year Deal

The Philadelphia Phillies announced Wednesday that Don Mattingly will remain their manager on a two-year deal, removing the interim tag after he guided the team to a postseason berth. Team president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced the decision. Mattingly took over in late April after the Phillies fired Rob Thomson, whose team had opened the season 9-19. Philadelphia went 79-55 under Mattingly and reached the postseason for the fifth consecutive year. The Phillies were eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in a three-game National League Wild Card Series. They clinched a playoff spot on the final day of the regular season after nearly surrendering a four-game lead for a wild-card place. The series loss marked another early exit for a team that reached the World Series in 2022. The decision followed the Phillies’ pursuit of Alex Cora, who declined the opportunity, according to reports. Cora had also turned down the team earlier in the year, when it was seeking a replacement for Thomson. Mattingly, 65, had been hired as bench coach before the season and, according to reports, had a year remaining on that contract before taking over as manager.