Phillies Hire Mattingly, Aim for NL East Title

0:00It's April 29th, from first pitch to the final out. This is MLB News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. The Philadelphia Phillies stumbled out the gate with a 9-19 record, so they shook things up by firing manager Rob Thompson and bringing in. Don Mattingley as the new skipper. Thompson had racked up plenty of regular season wins, but those playoff hard breaks had folks questioning if it was time for a change. They chased after Alex Cora first, but landed Mattingley instead, hoping his steady hands sparks a turnaround. In a recent MLB poll, the Phillies snagged a few votes to win the National League East, even as the Atlanta Braves dominated the picks. Fans and insiders see potential, despite the rough patch, pointing to the team's battle tested lineup that's gelled over years. An American League exec noted their offense is top tier, and once Zach Wheeler gets back, that rotation looks solid. The division helps too, with the New York meds slumping and the Miami Marlins plus Washington Nationals out of the picture early.

1:01In their first game post-firing, Jesus Luzardo tossed a gem, and the bats came alive for a much needed win. It's a steep climb, but with a long season ahead and the right pieces in place, the Phillies could still crash that playoff party come fall.