PHILADELPHIA -- Dave Dombrowski still believes that Rob Thomson is the best man for the job.
He ended any speculation about the Phillies manager’s future on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, when he said that he not only believes Thomson can help the Phillies win a World Series, but he said he expects to give him a one-year contract extension this winter, which would keep him under contract through the 2027 season.
“He’s a good manager,” Dombrowski said.
Thomson took heat following the Phillies’ loss to the Dodgers in the best-of-five NL Division Series. A few in-game moves backfired, including his decision to have Bryson Stott bunt with the potential tying run on second base and no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 2.
Maybe because of those moves -- maybe not -- Thomson will have a new bench coach next year.
Former bench coach Mike Calitri will move into a newly created role as Major League field coordinator. Dombrowski first suggested a change last fall. But this time, it happened.
“It was Dave’s idea, but I thought it was a good idea,” Thomson said.
The Phillies’ new bench coach will come from outside the organization, Dombrowski said. It could be somebody with managerial experience.
“We’re adding a guy, another set of eyes,” Thomson said. “Maybe new perspective, a different perspective on our club, new ideas.”
Dombrowski explained why there were no other changes to the coaching staff. The Phillies’ offense struggled in the NLDS, which always puts a target on the hitting coach’s back.
“Kevin Long’s an exceptionally good hitting coach,” Dombrowski said. “I think we have a good hitting program. Can always get better, right? Nobody’s perfect by any means, but I think that they’re very good.”
Thomson is well respected in the Phillies’ clubhouse. Bryce Harper voiced his support following Game 4.
But nobody gets along with everybody all the time. Thomson had issues with right fielder Nick Castellanos, who got benched in June in Miami for saying something disrespectful after being removed from a game and met with Thomson in September in Arizona after he said they didn’t talk.
Castellanos is under contract next season, but he might not be back.
“My perspective, it’s good,” Thomson said about his relationship with Castellanos. “I never hold any grudges. If I have a problem with a player or a coach, it doesn’t linger.”
Phillies left-hander Matt Strahm said after Game 4 of the NLDS, when Orion Kerkering panicked and made a wild throw to home plate to end the series, that the team never did PFPs (pitchers fielding practice) during the season.
The Phillies bristled at that suggestion.
“We did plenty and actually as it turns out we did do PFPs in the postseason,” Dombrowski said. “He didn’t do them. OK? But we did.”
“We did do PFPs during the break,” Thomson said. “It was a long PFP. But again, me or nobody else can simulate that [Kerkering] situation. Bobble, bases loaded, 55,000 people, tie game, extra innings. We could hit him that ball 1,000 times, he’ll make the play. But you can’t simulate all the other things. So just keep working. Try to get better. But we did do PFPs.”
Thomson and Dombrowski each said they have talked to Kerkering a couple times since the end of the season.
“He’s a strong individual,” Dombrowski said. “He will get whatever assistance, and we will offer him whatever assistance that he needs, and we'll continue to work with him to try to get him through that. And I think he can do that, but I also know that it's a challenge for him. We'll keep in contact with him on a continued basis, between people in the front office, some in our coaching staff, I'm sure some of the players, to make sure that we can give him the best support system that we can.”
Thomson expects new players next spring, and he also expects many to return.
He believes this group can still win it all. He is happy for another opportunity to try to do it.
“I am who I am,” Thomson said. “I don’t know how long I’m going to manage. You’ve got to have somebody that wants you first. I’ve said it many times the last four years, but this has been the most fun in my career. It has to do with the people in the organization. … As long as I’m happy and my family’s happy, I’m having fun and they want me, I’ll manage. But when I’m not having fun, they don’t want me, when I feel like I’m getting in the way, it’s time to go home.”