Phillies

Phillies’ Coaching Changes Feel More Ceremonial Than Anything

By Nick Piccone

Published: Oct 15th, 2026 · 9:44 AM EDT

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After NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury reported Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long and infield coach Bobby Dickerson would not return under Don Mattingly’s leadership in 2027, the usual talking points surfaced. What exactly does a hitting coach do for this team, anyway? It’s up to the players to perform. Coaches don’t do much when it comes to a veteran team.

And I get it. A lot of that is true. But I’m looking at these changes as more ceremonial than anything. There won’t be a hitting coach coming in telling Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to change their swing or their approach. For how maddening they can be to watch for stretches, those two are still the best hitters on the team — even if that’s not saying a lot for this decrepit lineup. I don’t think Dave Dombrowski fired Rob Thomson earlier this season because he thought Thomson suddenly forgot how to manage a baseball team. We saw how the team reacted — that’s what this team is. Country club atmosphere that will eventually get “their guys” fired when they under-perform. 

Now, as inconsistent as the hitting was and downright terrible the team’s defense was — especially in the infield — it’s a relief that we’re actually seeing a change. Again, how much will new coaching help out? Who knows? Likely not much. The thought process from a fan perspective is make them comfortable being uncomfortable. And if making some of these guys uncomfortable will allow them to fully maximize their potential, that’s a win-win for the fans. Unless, you know, one of those stars demands a trade. But that’s for another blog post.

With the potential lockout looming and the manager pool thin, Dombrowski decided to bring back Don Mattingly to manage this team for the next two years. Does that mean Mattingly will be more comfortable making his underperforming players uncomfortable? Will the Phillies even have players to make uncomfortable outside of Schwarber and Harper? Is making them uncomfortable even a smart move? We’re about to find out.