Philadelphia Phillies Fire Manager Gabe Kapler After 2 Seasons

Gabe Kapler is no longer the manager of the Philadephia Phillies. On Thursday the Phillies announced they have fired Kaper after two seasons. In 2019, the Phillies struggled fo find any consistency as they finished with an 81-81 record. Even with the addition of All-Star Bryce Harper, the Phillies could not take control of the NL East.

"Several years ago, I promised our loyal fans that I would do everything in my power to bring a world championship team to our city," team owner John Middleton said in a statement per ESPN. "I will never waver from that commitment. ... I have decided that some changes are necessary to achieve our ultimate objective. Consequently, we will replace our manager.

"I am indebted to Gabe for the steadfast effort, energy and enthusiasm that he brought to our club, and we are unquestionably a better team and organization as a result of his contributions."

Kapler, who played in the major leagues from 1998-2010, also released a statement about his firing.

"I have tremendous respect for this organization, this franchise and this city," Kapler said in a statement. "We came into 2019 with very high hopes. We fell short of those, and that responsibility lies with me. The next Phillies manager will inherit a team of talented, dedicated and committed players. There has been nothing more fulfilling in my professional career than the opportunity to work with the players on this team.

"As I move on, I know that this organization is in a great spot and will see a lot of success going forward. My hope is that I helped contribute to a developing culture in the organization that flourishes in the years to come."

Kapler was hired by the Phillies in 2017 based on little experience. Before joining the Phillies he was the manager of the Greenville Drive, a minor league team which is the Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. In his first season with the club, Kapler led the Phillies to an 80-82 record and they finished third in the division.

"I want to thank Kap for his tireless commitment to the Phillies over the last two years," general manager Matt Klentak said in a statement. "When we hired Kap, it was our goal to develop a positive, forward-thinking and collaborative culture throughout the organization that would allow us to compete with the best teams in the league year in and year out."