With Alex Cora out of the picture again, the Phillies are back where they started: searching for the next manager after getting turned away by the name they wanted most. Dave Dombrowski has to pivot now, and there will be no shortage of candidates willing to line up for a job that comes with pressure, expectations and a roster that finished in disappointment.
There are obvious internal possibilities, and there’s also the chance the front office uses this moment to reshape more than just the dugout. After five straight years of playoff regression, the Phillies could decide the coaching staff needs as much of a reset as the roster itself.
The most eye-catching external name is Bruce Bochy. At 71, he’s the oldest of the big-name veterans on the market, but he also carries the heaviest résumé: four World Series titles, 57 playoff wins since 1995 and a .606 playoff winning percentage. If the Phillies are looking for someone who has already done this at the highest level, Bochy fits that bill.
Joe Maddon belongs in that same bucket of seasoned voices. The 72-year-old managed the Tampa Bay Rays team the Phillies beat in the 2008 World Series, then later guided the Chicago Cubs to a title in 2016. He was born in Hazelton, PA, which only adds another layer to the fit.
Buck Showalter is another veteran worth watching. The 70-year-old was most recently with the New York Mets and has spent 22 years as a manager without winning a pennant. He does bring the kind of edge the Phillies have often lacked in the dugout.
Then there’s Ron Washington, the oldest of the group at 74 and the only one still working in an on-field role. He’s currently the San Francisco Giants’ infield coach, and his reputation is built on defense - something the last several Phillies teams have sorely missed.
The fan-favorite lane brings its own intrigue. Raúl Ibañez, now vice president of baseball development and special projects for the Los Angeles Dodgers, came up on Seattle Sports’ Wyman & Bob show last week when Jon Morosi discussed candidates for the Mariners’ opening. The former Phillie has been part of managerial conversations for years, and at 54, he may finally decide to jump in.
Chase Utley is the other name that will always get attention in Philadelphia. He lives in Los Angeles and works as a special assistant for the Dodgers, so the fit isn’t obvious. Still, he was added to the Phillies Wall of Fame in August, and bringing him in would light up the fanbase even if it remains a long shot.
The internal group starts with Howie Kendrick, who has been with the Phillies since 2021 in a special assistant role and has become a regular dugout presence. He’s respected throughout the game, has the kind of clubhouse credibility teams value, and would offer a younger voice if the Phillies want one. His postseason track record only adds to the appeal.
Caleb Cotham is another internal candidate with real traction. Since becoming pitching coach in 2020, he has helped revive a long list of Phillies arms, including Jeff Hoffman and Zack Wheeler. The jump from pitching coach to big-league manager is rare, though, and history hasn’t exactly been kind to that path.
Dusty Wathan is also in the mix. He is the winningest manager in Phillies minor league history, and he has spent enough time around the organization to know its rhythms and pressure points.
If he isn’t handed the job in 2026, it could mean the end of his run in a Phillies uniform. Any new manager would likely want to bring in his own bench coach, which adds another wrinkle for Wathan, who currently holds that role.
Two younger former managers also deserve a look. Brandon Hyde, 53, managed the Orioles through their rebuild, but Baltimore didn’t win a playoff game in 2023 or 2024, falling to the Rangers and then the Royals. He’s been out of a job since 2025, and his struggles look tied more to the Orioles’ front office and development than to him personally.
Rocco Baldelli is in a similar spot. The 45-year-old spent seven years managing the Twins, but his tenure never really took off. The 2025 roster turnover didn’t help, either, with Minnesota shipping out what felt like half the active roster, including Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia.
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Stephen A. Smith only added to the controversy when he criticized the timing of Johnsons move, drawing a swift backlash from around the Eagles orbit. Former teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson was among those who pushed back publicly, and the response was strong enough that Smith later apologized. Even in a league that rarely slows down for anything, this became one of those moments that reminded everyone how quickly a football story can turn into a bigger conversation about respect, judgment and where the line is when it comes to mental health. [Read more 🡒]