PHILADELPHIA— Multiple reports circulated Monday afternoon that Rob Thomson will remain manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2026.
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Thomson is 346-251 since taking over the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022. He has been one of the most successful coaches in this time period. He has overseen four straight playoff appearances, two division titles, and one National League championship in his tenure.
Changes are expected for the Phillies ahead of 2026. The club will have an end-of-season press conference on Thursday morning to likely reveal those plans.
Thomson's Philly peer
The situation that Thomson finds himself in currently is one that Philadelphia Eagles' head coach Nick Sirianni experienced not too long ago. Sirianni lost the Super Bowl in 2022-23, before starting 10-1 in the 2023-24 season. The Eagles were poised to find themselves back in the biggest game of the year, with a new outcome in mind.
However, during this stretch, it felt like Philly's football team was managing on the fly. Despite the outcomes, the team was not playing elite football. Their level of talent was able to overcome what soon became glaring issues, but the team marched forward. It was then that everything seemingly collapsed for the Eagles.
A 10-1 start turned into a 1-5 finish. Philadelphia would then lose in the first round of the playoffs to a franchise that seemingly has their number in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Changes were made on the coaching staff, including the hiring of two new coordinators. Sirianni's staff was filled with choices made by the front office and not by his own selection.
The following season, the Eagles would win the Super Bowl behind Sirianni and his new staff. The Eagles largely dominated the field and crushed the defending Super Bowl champions in a rematch from two years prior.
Changes?
It appears that changes to the Phillies' staff will be announced at Thursday's press conference. Pitching coach Caleb Cotham is expected to be retained, as the Phillies' starting pitching was the best in Major League Baseball this season. The overall unit performed very well in 2025, with the bullpen ranked towards the bottom half of the league.
The expectation is that hitting coach Kevin Long might be on his way out. Many have called for Long's job as the Phillies' hitting coach due to the team's poor showings offensively in the last several postseason runs. The Phillies scored three or fewer runs in three of their four playoff games in 2025. The veteran hitter coach is no longer under contract with the Phillies, as his deal expired at season's end.
Other coaches, such as base coaches Dusty Wathan and Paco Figeroa, or even infield coach Bobby Dickerson, could also be potential victims for change. Their roles aren't as influential as, say, the hitting or pitching coach, but they each still have day-to-day roles that the organization could look for improvements.
Is 2026 the year?
Will Sirianni's experience two seasons ago in Philly act as Thomson's muse? Can Thomson learn from the Super Bowl-winning head coach?
Changes to the staff and the roster will certainly dictate the outcome of 2026 and beyond. The Phillies will have to make decisions on veterans such as Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Ranger Suarez, and more. Young players such as Andrew Painter and Justin Crawford seek to make an impact with the Phillies as soon as next season. How will their roles evolve over the course of the season?
Heading into Thursday's press conference, all we can know for sure is that the Phillies will retain their manager for another season. Time will tell if Thomson's Phillies can break through and finally bring home a championship in 2026.
