Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies will be managed by former Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly in the 2027 season. Having taken over on an interim basis last season, the Phillies made Mattingly their full-time manager on a two-year deal in October, after his 79-55 interim run helped the team turn their early season slump around and qualify for the postseason.
Making the job his own is another matter, and one Phillies insider knows where it starts. Jim Salisbury, the longtime Phillies reporter, said Mattingly’s plan to change how the club plays only works if the player who sets the tone is on board.
Mattingly has said the 2026 team “really wasn’t my team,” that it belonged to Rob Thomson, and that he wants to do things differently. If his plans are to come to fruition, however, Salisbury thinks Bryce Harper will have to be fully on board with Mattingly’s way of doing things.
