After a second straight disappointing postseason, including a nightmarish ending in Game 4 of the NLDS in Los Angeles against the eventual back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers, the Philadelphia Phillies have decided to move on with head coach Rob Thomson, who is under contract through the 2026 season.
Less than two months later, the Phillies doubled down on Thomson, announcing Tuesday that they had extended his contract through the 2027 season. Minutes ago, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the team would re-sign free agent designated hitter Kyle Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million contract.
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The 32-year-old Schwarber hit 56 homers last season — the second-most in Phillies single-season history and the most among NL players in the Class of 2025 — and drove in 132 RBIs while tying his career-high OPS (.928).
Not only is the surge-power lefty one of the best sluggers in the game right now (as evidenced by the three-time All-Star’s four straight seasons of at least 38 home runs and his marked improvement in left-handed pitching), but he’s also an indelible clubhouse leader.
The Phillies paid to bring him back, and they could also re-sign 34-year-old catcher JT Realmuto. That means Thomson can afford to preserve an aging core of a team that won its second straight NFC East title this year before quickly falling out of the playoffs again.
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That said, several players on the roster are expected to win a World Series title in the 2022 season, Thomson’s first at the helm since replacing the fired Joe Girardi. The Phillies rallied that year and made the playoffs, winning 11 games in the playoffs but losing to the Houston Astros in six games in the World Series.
In 2023, the Phillies return to the playoffs as a wild-card team and look like they’ll once again be in contention for the NL pennant. That time, though, they lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS with a 2-0 lead and lost in seven games.
In the next two seasons, Philadelphia ended a 13-year drought without an NFC East title and once again won first place in the division. But the Phillies have regressed in the postseason, recently with their top three hitters — Schwarber, two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper and three-time All-Star Trey Turner — going 2-for-21 with 11 strikeouts in their first two games against the Dodgers in this year’s NL.
During the Phillies’ “Red October,” the bats went cold when they should have been hot, which was a problem for Thomson, who didn’t escape postseason blame.
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Even so, he still supports the organization and supports his players through their ups and downs. He also has more talent, with pitcher Andrew Painter, outfielder Justin Crawford and infielder Aidan Miller expected to make their debuts soon.
Thomson has been with the Phillies since 2018. Prior to that, he played for the New York Yankees from 2008-17, notably winning a championship ring in 2009 when the Yankees defeated the Phillies in the World Series.
He is the third Phillies manager to lead the team to consecutive division titles. His coaching winning percentage (.580) is the best in the organization’s history.
