October 15, 2024
By Kevin Glew
Cooperstowners in Canada
Rob Thomson will be back as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies next season.
The Phillies made sure of that when they rewarded the Canadian skipper with a contract extension through the 2026 season on Tuesday.
Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, made the announcement.
After the Phillies’ disappointing National League Division Series loss to the New York Mets last week, there had been some speculation that Thomson, who was under contract through the 2025 season, wouldn’t be back.
In the big picture, however, Thomson has guided the Phillies to post-season appearances in each of his first three seasons since taking over as manager. That’s a feat that just two other skippers in big league history have accomplished – Ralph Houk with the New York Yankees from 1961 to 1963 and Dave Roberts with the Dodgers from 2015 to 2017.
During the 2024 season, Thomson led the Phillies to a National League East title with 95 wins, which are the sixth-most in franchise history.
The Phillies’ press release also indicates that Thomson is the first skipper in Phillies’ history to reach the postseason in each of his first three seasons.
Since taking over as manager from Joe Girardi on June 3, 2022, the 61-year-old Thomson has guided the Phillies to a 250-185 record.
Before joining the Phillies as their bench coach in December 2017, Thomson spent 28 years as a coach in the New York Yankees’ organization from 1990 to 2017. For 10 of those seasons, he served on the major league staff as bench coach (2008, 2015 to 2017) and third base coach (2009 to 2014). He earned five World Series rings while with the Bronx Bombers.
Born in 1963 in Sarnia, Ont., Thomson grew up in nearby Corunna. A standout player for the Intercounty Baseball League’s Stratford Hillers in the early ’80s, Thomson was recruited by Dick Groch, later a famous New York Yankees scout, to play for St. Clair Community College. He suited up there for one year before transferring to the University of Kansas.
Thomson was part of the Canadian squad that competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles when baseball was a demonstration sport. The following year, he was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 32nd round of MLB draft.
The Canuck catcher/third baseman advanced as high as the class-A level before shifting his focus to coaching in 1988.
In 2019, Thomson was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont.
Had to be one of DD’s easiest decisions as GM. Rob is a pro’s pro, a true and proven baseball man. A lot of teams sure missed the boat while he gained experience and expertise collecting five World Series with the Yankees. He has coached every type of player there is, from superstars to diamonds in the rough who blossomed under his tutelage. He has always gotten the most out of his players, and he has, each and every year, had great respect by the players. He is a gem and there is no manager more humble than Rob! Well-deserved, and sure seems in sync with Dombrowski! No doubt he’ll make another couple of runs with the Phillies!
Thanks for your comment, Tom.
Thanks for the update on Rob Thomson.
Thanks for reading this, Bob.