Overview
- Alex Cora turned down Philadelphia’s managerial offer, reopening the club’s decision and elevating interim manager Don Mattingly as the leading internal candidate.
- Mattingly took over a 9-19 team and went 79-55 the rest of the season, a turnaround widely cited by reporters and insiders as the main reason he has a ‘decent or better’ chance to be retained.
- Several star players publicly backed Mattingly’s stewardship, and beat writers say he would remain with the organization through his contract even if not named manager.
- The Phillies’ bullpen was a documented weakness this year — ranked roughly 21st in ERA with 23 blown saves and costly late innings in the Wild Card series — and many sources say meaningful relief upgrades could be decisive for Mattingly’s long-term willingness to ‘run it back.’
- Reports from league and team sources indicate the club plans to formalize its decision this week, a move that would let Philadelphia focus on a compressed offseason that includes addressing the pitching staff and other roster choices.