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The Tigers are set with their current manager, A.J. Hinch, but a possible role for a recently fired manager might make sense in the future.
The Philadelphia Phillies got off to a dreadful start this season, going 9-19 through their first 28 games and falling into a last place tie in the National League East with the New York Mets. New York and Philadelphia are also tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball.
In fact, the Phillies took things a step further on Tuesday when they relieved manager Rob Thomson of his duties. Thomson had been in charge since 2022 when he was hired to replace Joe Girardi. He led the Phillies to the World Series that fall and took them to the postseason three more times after that.
With Thomson’s Phillies tenure at an end, Adam Wells of Bleacher Report listed a couple of potential landing spots for the veteran skipper, one of which was the Detroit Tigers, who Thomson has a bit of a history.
“The Tigers hold the distinction of being Thomson’s first exposure to MLB because they drafted him out of college in 1985 in the 32nd round,” Wells wrote.
“His professional career was spent entirely in the minors, playing 216 games over four seasons before retiring early in the 1988 campaign to move into coaching.
“Thomson coached in the minors with Tigers affiliates for two seasons before moving to the Yankees.”
Thomson’s Possible Fit with Tigers
With A.J. Hinch already at the helm as the manager of the Tigers, that role doesn’t exist in Detroit for Thomson, but his history with the organization, while not as extensive is his history with the New York Yankees, could still help him get his foot in the door if he wants to continue in baseball.
He could potentially retire, as that was something he was strongly considering in 2022 before the Phillies tabbed him to replace Girardi. However, he is still a baseball lifer, and somebody who could bring some great experience to the Tigers organization.
Perhaps Hinch and president of baseball operations Scott Harris will consider expanding the coaching staff or adding some roles to the organization. Thomson’s expertise certainly wouldn’t hurt as the Tigers look towards staying competitive but also keep an eye on the future and what they can do to maximize their window with the talent they currently have.
Thomson does have a unique history with Detroit’s organization, so bringing him back to where he began his baseball journey would also bring the cycle full circle and make for a good story next season.
What’s Next For Thomson?
Right now, it isn’t clear what will come next for Thomson. Despite being fired by the Phillies, he still had a good run with the organization, and that likely will not go unnoticed if teams decide to give him a look and add him to their organization in some form.
His experience prior to managing also speaks for itself. He has spent most of his baseball career in the Yankees organization, so a reunion there also can’t be completely ruled out.
But it will be interesting to see what kind of interest he attracts and where he will go from here.
Curt Bishop Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who has written for various outlets including Heavy Sports, Sports Illustrated, FanSided, The Sporting News, Newsweek and Yardbarker. His work entails mostly breaking and trending news with a concentration on Major League Baseball (MLB). Curt graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a bachelor's degree in communications with a focus on emerging and new media, as well as a music minor. More about Curt Bishop