Phillies' Rob Thomson shares emotional message after clinching NL East

Matt Sullivan

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Phillies' Rob Thomson shares emotional message after clinching NL East image

The Philadelphia Phillies, for the second straight season, have won the National League East. It's an incredible feat for the Phillies, and a testament to how great they've been over the last four years.

But this run, which started in 2022, wouldn't have started without the promotion of Rob Thomson to manager. After the Phillies fired Joe Girardi, Thomson took over as manager, and since then, the Phillies have been one of the best teams in baseball.

After the Phillies win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, which clinched the NL East, Thomson shared an emotional message with reporters that On Pattison shared on Twitter/X.

Phillies' Rob Thomson gets emotional following second consecutive NL East title

“The last four years has been the most fun I’ve had in baseball," Thomson said. "In my 40 years in baseball. And I can tell you that truthfully.”

After Thomson took over in the middle of 2022, the Phillies haven't missed the postseason, and have always made, at least, the Divisional Round. In 2022, the team made the World Series during a magical run. In 2023, the team came up short in the NLCS, and in 2024, they fell to the New York Mets in the Divisional Round.

This season, however, looks and feels a lot different than in years prior. In 2024, the Phillies struggled down the stretch and backed into the postseason. In 2022, it was a magical run that was completely unexpected.

The 2023 season was the Phillies' best chance, but they came up short thanks to struggles from the bullpen and the offense when it mattered most.

However, with a revamped bullpen thanks to Jhoan Duran, a bolstered offense with Harrison Bader, and the way the Phillies are playing right now, this season feels a lot more promising.

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There are still 11 games before the postseason begins, where the Phillies will have a chance to clinch a first-round bye. With Trea Turner and Alec Bohm injured, a bye would be a huge help in setting the team up for success this October.

This season has been a fun one for the Phillies and for Thomson. Despite being a part of World Series-winning organizations, this season, and the last four years total, have been the most fun he's had in MLB across his 40 years in the league.

Since 2022, the Phillies have been a completely different team than they were in the decade prior. They're a top postseason contender, with the pitching staff to contend for a World Series. It's been an incredible season so far, and there's still more work to be done.

But for now, in the moment following the Phillies' clinching the NL East for the second consecutive season, Thomson shared an emotional and heartfelt message on what being the Phillies manager over the last four years has been like.

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Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. Matt is a native of Pennsylvania and has worked with Athlon Sports, Last Word on Sports, and other outlets.