A lot of the talk for the Philadelphia Phillies in the early stages of the offseason has been centered arou

Major Breaking: Phillies Nation Receives Exciting New Coach Update — Search Could Be Finally Over

**PHILADELPHIA —** Big news for **Phillies Nation**: the organization is shaking up its coaching staff in a way that has fans buzzing — and for good reason. After a disappointing playoff exit, the Phillies are bringing in a fresh voice as bench coach, signaling that their offseason coaching search may be nearing its end.

### What Just Happened

* **Mike Calitri**, long-time bench coach for the Phillies, is being reassigned to a newly created role: **Major League Field Coordinator**. ([Phillies Nation][1])
* This transition opens up a bench coach spot — and **Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski** confirmed that they’re looking **outside the organization** to fill it. ([Phillies Nation][1])
* The kind of candidate they’re pursuing is notable: Dombrowski said they **ideally want someone with prior managerial experience**. ([Breaking AC][2])
* Manager **Rob Thomson** has expressed excitement about adding a new voice, calling the move a chance to bring in “another set of eyes, maybe a new or different perspective … new ideas.” ([Phillies Nation][1])

### Why This Move Matters

1. **Fresh Perspective**
By adding an external bench coach, the Phillies are not just doing a cosmetic shuffle — they want someone who can challenge the status quo and bring in fresh thinking. This could be especially valuable during in-game strategy or tough stretches.

2. **Elevated Responsibility for Calitri**
Although Calitri is leaving the bench coach role, his new job as field coordinator is hardly a demotion. He’ll still handle a lot of what he did previously — spring training preparation, advance meetings, and more

3. **Long-Term Stability with Thomson**
Thomson is apparently locked in through the 2026 season, and the Phillies are reportedly working on another extension. ([Inquirer.com][3]) Having a seasoned bench coach alongside him could strengthen his leadership core.

4. **Strategic Shift, Not Overhaul**
It’s not a fire-sale. The rest of the coaching staff will return for 2026, per Dombrowski. ([Phillies Nation][1]) This is more of an *enhancement* than a rebuild.

Who Might Be the New Bench Coach

While no hire has been announced yet, the Phillies have made their preferences clear:

* They **value managerial experience** — which means former MLB managers are in the mix. ([Breaking AC][2])
* Possible names floated by insiders could include experienced baseball men who can contribute both leadership and strategic insights.

One name being discussed: **Don Mattingly**, who has managed before and has ties to Thomson via their shared Yankees past. ([Phillies Nation][4]) That said, nothing is confirmed yet.

Why Fans Should Be Optimistic

* Bringing in a seasoned bench coach could help the Phillies make smarter decisions in tight games — a key factor in postseason success.
* Calitri’s move doesn’t sideline him; it repurposes his strengths in a behind-the-scenes leadership role.
* The organization is clearly aiming for **continuity plus improvement**, not a full teardown.

1:Phillies non-Nick Castellanos All-Star named most likely player to be traded

**Bottom Line:** Phillies Nation has reason to be excited. The team looks poised to land a bench coach with real experience, deepen its coaching bench, and support Rob Thomson with fresh ideas — all while keeping stability in core areas. The search, it seems, *might just be over.*

nd what they can get back for NiA lot of the talk for the Philadelphia Phillies in the early stages of the offseason has been centered around what they can get back for Nick Castellanos. Unfortunately, most reports have indicated that Castellanos doesn’t

have much trade value around Major League Baseball, so there could be some issues with that. ck Castellanos. Unfortunately, most reports have indicated that Castellanos doesn’t have much trade value around Major League Baseball, so there could be some issues with that. Due to the obvious expectation of a Castellano still being traded or designated for assignment, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report believes there’s another player who could be just as likely to get traded,

and that’s All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm. “Were we asking which player the Phillies would most like to trade away, there’s little question it’s Nick Castellanos, who is going to make about twice as much as Bohm in 2026 and who has been worth a grand total of 1.3 bWAR through the first 80 percent of his five-year, $100 million contract. “However, the name of the game here is most likely, and Bohm falls right into the three-pronged sweet spot of:

pricy enough that the team would consider moving him, affordable enough that several teams would be interested and replaceable with players already on the roster,” he wrote. Alec Bohm is tough to evaluate Throughout some of Bohm’s time in Philadelphia, he’s proven for the organization that he can be an above-average player. Unfortunately, ‘

in the second half of 2024 and now, he’s been somewhat below average. He posts a decent batting average, and he isn’t a bad player by any means, but there’s always a lot left to be desired for Bohm, especially in the power department. If the Phillies are looking to upgrade at third base, he’d be an ideal player to move on from.