MLB Team Fires Manager After Worst Start in Five Years

An MLB team made a big move to save their season. On Friday, the Philadelphia Phillies announced they have fired manager Joe Girardi. Currently, the team is 22-29 and off to their worst start since 2017. Coaching assistant Bobby Meacham has been let go as well, and bench coach Rob Thomson will serve as interim manager. 

“It has been a frustrating season for us up until this point, as we feel that our club has not played up to its capabilities,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in a statement. “While all of us share the responsibility for the shortcomings, I felt that a change was needed and that a new voice in the clubhouse would give us the best chance to turn things around. I believe we have a talented group that can get back on track, and I am confident that Rob, with his experience and familiarity with our club, is the right man to lead us going forward.”

Girardi, 57 was hired by the Phillies in 2020 after being the manager of the New York Yankees from 2008 to 2017. In his nearly two and a half seasons, Girardi posted a 131-141 record, and the Phillies never reached the playoffs. Shortly after being fired, Giradi appeared on MLB Network Radio and explained what went wrong in Philadelphia. 

“There’s a number of reasons we didn’t win,” he said per The Athletic. “We gave too many extra outs that probably cost us four or five games, maybe even more. At times our bullpen struggled. We had some guys that have much better stuff than the potential that they pitched to, which lead to some games. Some guys got off to slow starts offensively and that happens. I think you can overcome sometimes one thing, maybe even two but sometimes when it’s more than that, it’s somewhat difficult.”

Girardi led the Yankees to a World Series title in 2009, one year after the Phillies won their last World Series. Before joining the Yankees, Girardi was the manager of the Miami Marlins in 2006 and posted a 78-84 record. He was an MLB player from 1989 to 2003 and won three World Series championships as a member of the Yankees from 1996 to 1999.