Don Mattingly helped pull the Philadelphia Phillies out of a 9-19 start, but their season never truly settled. After a late collapse nearly cost them their playoff spot, the Phillies exited October in three games. So when Mattingly was named a National League Manager of the Year finalist, fans were left scratching their heads. Their reactions reflected a season that ended far short of expectations.

“Don Mattingly has been named a National League Manager of the Year finalist,” the Philadelphia Phillies announced on X.

The other two finalists include the World Series-winning Milwaukee Brewers’ Pat Murphy and the Atlanta Braves’ Walt Weiss.

Mattingly took over the Philadelphia Phillies after Rob Thomson’s terrible start. His arrival steadied a talented team, and Philadelphia finished the season 88-74. Mattingly managed 134 games, guiding the Phillies to an NL Wild Card berth. That recovery deserves credit, but it does not automatically make him a Manager of the Year candidate. His nomination surprised fans who saw a team stabilize without being consistent.

One reaction captured the disbelief: “I had to double-check this wasn’t a parody account.”

Mattingly’s 79-55 record after taking over looks impressive, especially beside Philadelphia’s early collapse. But the Phillies’ full season still included uneven play, narrow escapes, bullpen problems, and a disappointing October. The team finished second in the NL East, behind Atlanta’s 94-68. That finish matters when weighing Mattingly against managers whose teams achieved more.

Mattingly steadied the lineup, but the Phillies still ranked 19th in runs, a gap that haunted them in October. That ranking points to a team that struggled to create steady scoring across the season. Rather than consistently building rallies, Philadelphia often depended on individual contributions and timely hits from players like Kyle Schwarber, who hit 45 homers and drove in 97 runs. Those limitations remained visible when the games carried greater pressure.

The pitching staff also carried problems that a managerial turnaround could not fully solve. The bullpen (4.77 ERA, 25th) and defense (-17 OAA, tied for 21st) remained liabilities Mattingly could not fix. Those rankings show that the Phillies were not consistently winning games through clean execution.

Mattingly helped them recover, but the numbers show how far they remained from dominance.

September exposed the fragility: 10-14, nearly blowing a four-game Wild Card lead, needing the final day to clinch. They needed the final regular-season day to secure their postseason place. That late scramble hardly resembled a team confidently controlling its own playoff destiny.

One fan asked, “Did they not watch this year?” after seeing Mattingly was named finalist.

The postseason then exposed the same problems, ending Philadelphia’s season against Atlanta. The Phillies lost the Wild Card Series in 3 games, failing to advance. In Game 3, Atlanta won 6-2, while Philadelphia managed only six hits. Atlanta’s early scoring pressure left the Phillies chasing the game rather than controlling it.

Managerial decisions also became part of the debate after the Phillies’ postseason exit. In Game 1, Mattingly brought closer Jhoan Duran into the seventh inning. Duran stayed for the eighth, when Austin Riley hit a three-run homer. Atlanta won 5-3, leaving Philadelphia facing elimination after the late lead disappeared. The move failed, although one decision alone cannot explain the entire series loss.

Under the Phillies’ X post, one fan wrote, “I need someone to show their work because the math ain’t mathing.”

Another asked, “What, today ain’t April 1st? Where’s the April Fools?”

“This has to be an AI cruel joke, right?” another fan seconded.

There were two potentially better candidates to be Manager of the Year finalists who didn’t make the cut.

Craig Stammen offers a stronger case for recognition after managing the Padres in his first season. The Padres finished 91-71, reached the playoffs, and won their Wild Card Series. Stammen inherited a team with expectations, but delivered a strong regular season and an October win. His work helped San Diego remain among the NL’s more successful clubs. That record makes him a reasonable candidate fans could have wanted considered.

Dave Roberts also deserved discussion, despite managing a Dodgers team built to contend. Los Angeles finished 100-62, continuing its run as a regular-season powerhouse. Roberts maintained that standard and guided the Dodgers into another deep postseason run. Mattingly’s recovery was real, but Stammen and Dave Roberts achieved more. That gap explains why fans questioned his place among the finalists.

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