Phillies plan hire of new manager; Cora emerges

The Philadelphia Phillies appear poised to pursue Alex Cora as their next manager after interim Don Mattingly unless the team wins a World Series or makes a strong postseason run, with Dave Dombrowski historically championing Cora for the job. Cora, who turned down Philadelphia previously and is currently not managing, would reunite with Dombrowski, who initially hired him in Boston, a collaboration that yielded a 2018 World Series title and a historic 108-win season. Critics warn that targeting Cora could become a distraction for a veteran Phillies clubhouse and for Mattingly, who remains in the interim role as long as the team navigates the postseason. Meanwhile, Nightengale and other reports indicate that if the Phillies fall short of a World Series berth, Cora’s job could be theirs in 2027, suggesting a potentially protracted decision timeline. The Phillies’ current season also features a strong core and fluctuations around playoff positioning, but the ultimate decision on leadership appears tied to postseason performance and Cora’s availability. In sum, the team is weighing a high-profile managerial transition that could reshape its direction for 2027, centered on whether Cora can be persuaded to return to the dugout and whether Mattingly’s interim tenure yields a championship or not.