Phillies may need hard reset with Don Mattingly paying the price | Opinion

It was painful with the Phillies' season just ending with their 6-2 loss to Atlanta in the wild-card round, and Mattingly was left all alone, fending off questions about his future.

It wasn't his fault that many of his biggest stars failed to show up when the lights were the brightest.

Sep 30, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly (8) returns to the dugout after a visit to the mound in the seventh inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Mattingly, who managed the Phillies for five months, will be gracefully dismissed, likely in the coming week.