PHILADELPHIA -- Pete Mackanin will not be back next season as the Phillies' manager.The Phils made the announcement on Friday, less than five months after they signed him to a contract extension through 2018. Mackanin said on Monday that he had not been told if he would return next season, acknowledging that managers and coaches often take the fall for a team's performance.
The Phillies said that Mackanin will manage the season's final three games this weekend against the Mets, and that Mackanin signed a contract extension to serve as a special assistant to the general manager through 2018 and beyond."When I arrived here two years ago, I didn't know Pete at all, I had never met him before," said general manager Matt Klentak. "In the two years that have followed, Pete has really grown into a trusted ally and a partner in this rebuild. And maybe more than anything, Pete has turned into a really good friend."I have a tremendous amount of respect for what he's accomplished in his baseball career as a player, as a coach, as a manager, and I'm very proud of the way that he has represented the Phillies in the last two years that I've been here as the [general] manager. It's for all these reasons that I am very happy that Pete has agreed to stay with us in the future."Mackanin replaced Ryne Sandberg as the Phillies' manager in June 2015, when the Hall of Fame second baseman quit. The Phils went 172-237 (.421) with Mackanin at the helm during a mostly painful rebuild. The Phillies are 64-95 (.403) this season, which is the third-worst record in the Major Leagues, but they have shown improvement recently. They are 35-37 (.486) since the All-Star break and 21-18 (.538) since Aug. 18."I can't sit here and say I'm not disappointed in what's occurred," said Mackanin. "However, I think this rebuild is starting to get legs. I think the players are improving."I've been a part of this organization for 10 years in different capacities. When I rejoined again the Phillies in '09, I got a taste of that World Series, and that was a lot of fun. Division championships, National League championships ... it's been a great experience for me."I'm just happy Matt offered me this opportunity to stay with the Phillies, because I think this organization has been really good to me, and I'd really love to see this thing come to fruition. It would have been nice as manager, but I'm thrilled I can stick around and play a part in it."Many likely will see the move as a surprise. Klentak said earlier this month that he liked how Mackanin and his coaches kept faith in the team's young players throughout a difficult first half."I think when we extended Pete in May ... I think it was important at that juncture to demonstrate stability in the organization," said Klentak. "As credit to Pete and the group, we did get things on track."But I think as the season has gone on, and as we have turned the roster over, and as the younger players have shown up in Philadelphia and we've seen some of that progress, we've reached that critical phase that ... I think it's time for us to turn a page and start looking forward to the future."It is unclear if anybody from Mackanin's coaching staff will be retained. Todd Zolecki / MLB.com
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
