September 29, 2017
Friday afternoon news dump: Pete Mackanin’s tenure as manager of the Phillies will come to an end when the 2017 regular season ends on Sunday.
In a surprising news release that came down five hours before Friday’s game, the Phillies announced that Mackanin will not manage the club in 2018. Instead, he has agreed to a contract extension as a special assistant to the general manager “for 2018 and beyond.”
Considering the Phillies enter the final weekend of the season with third worst record in the big leagues, perhaps the news isn’t shocking on the surface. But the announcement that Mackanin will not return as manager next season comes just four months after the club announced a contract extension for the manager (guaranteeing him his salary in 2018 with a club option for 2019, too).
Mackanin took over as the team’s manager on June 26, 2015 after Ryne Sandberg abruptly resigned. Mackanin’s Phillies have gone 172-237 during that time, a time when the organization was committed to a rebuild and operating with a smaller payroll than during the team’s glory years. With prospects arriving from Allentown and stability in the bullpen, the Phillies have played better baseball since the All-Star break, going 35-27 in 72 games.
The search for a new manager will likely begin immediately. There’s no word just yet on the status of the rest of the coaching staff.
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