Don Mattingly leads the Phillies managerial market as the frontrunner after Alex Cora twice declined the position, most recently in early October 2026. Mattingly took over as interim skipper following Rob Thomson’s April firing amid a 9-19 start and delivered a strong turnaround, guiding Philadelphia to an 88-74 record, an NL Wild Card berth, and a fourth-best mark in baseball during his tenure despite offensive and bullpen limitations. Traders price his return at 30.6% based on his in-house familiarity, player support from stars like J.T. Realmuto and Aaron Nola, and Dave Dombrowski’s limited external options amid an impending CBA expiration. Rocco Baldelli and Brad Ausmus trail as experienced alternatives with prior managerial success and Dombrowski ties, while the field remains wide open for other candidates.