Mattingly credits – Don Mattingly says the Phillies’ pitching has kept pressure off the lineup as the offense worked through a two-week stretch of inconsistency. Philadelphia is 24-10 since he became interim manager, with Thursday’s 6-4 win over the Padres delivering their first
Don Mattingly didn’t sugarcoat it, even with the wins piling up. The Phillies have kept moving in the right direction under interim manager Don Mattingly, but the offense has spent much of the past two weeks searching for something close to rhythm.
Mattingly’s message was clear: the pitching staff has given the lineup enough room to work without letting the surrounding pressure swallow the clubhouse. Philadelphia enters play Saturday with a 24-10 record since Mattingly took over—an extended climb that helped the team recover from a brutal start and pull back into the NL East and Wild Card picture.
The contrast has been sharp. While the results have held, the bats have lagged. Thursday’s 6-4 win against the San Diego Padres was the first time in 14 games that the Phillies scored at least five runs. It was a needed jolt for a lineup that had been struggling to turn consistent chances into scoreboard momentum. and it gave Mattingly something more tangible to build from.
SPORTSRADIO 94WIP’s Dave Uram shared Mattingly’s comments on X. formerly Twitter. after asking whether the offensive breakthrough allowed the Phillies to “exhale.” Uram’s post also captured the part of Mattingly’s answer Philadelphia needed to hear: even with Thursday’s output. the club still understands it has to get the offense going.
“The Phillies are 24-10 since Don Mattingly became interim manager. Yesterday was the first time though in 14 games that they scored at least five runs. Mattingly says the team knows they have to get the offense going. Here he was asked if yesterday allows them to exhale” Dave Uram wrote in his post dated June 5, 2026.
Mattingly’s explanation for why the lineup hasn’t fully been crushed by urgency came down to a simple equation—wins and pitching buy time. “Well. I think the pressure kind of stays off til’ as long as we’re winning. right. and we’re pitching the way we are pitching. and we’re still putting enough wins on the board. which is really buying us time to get going.”.
That answer matches what Philadelphia has leaned on most during this stretch. Cristopher Sanchez has been central to the way the staff has kept games manageable, recently completing a historic 50 2/3-inning scoreless streak while the Phillies’ stars try to regain consistency.
And there were signs Friday that the offense might be waking up again. The Phillies beat the Chicago White Sox 8-6, a result that suggested the breakthrough from Thursday wasn’t a one-night answer.
For now. the Phillies’ path under Mattingly is stitched together by the same theme: the pitching keeps the lights on while the offense works its way back. It’s a risky kind of patience—because the bats eventually have to do more—but in the meantime. Philadelphia is still winning. and Mattingly believes that’s what’s preventing the lineup from being overwhelmed as it tries to regain its footing.
Don Mattingly Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Cristopher Sanchez pitching offense San Diego Padres Chicago White Sox NL East Wild Card
So basically the pitchers are carrying them? Cool cool.
24-10 is wild but the bats were dead for like 2 weeks?? I don’t get how you win that much with scoring issues. Maybe they’re just getting lucky with batted balls?
Exhale?? That’s what they said on Twitter/X, right? I swear I saw a clip where Mattingly blamed the offense for not swinging earlier, but now it’s “pitching gave them room.” Seems like he’s contradicting himself.
First 5 runs in 14 games and it’s the Padres… that feels like a low bar? I mean good for them, but I’m not convinced. Also it says “brutal start” like okay but who was in charge then? Mattingly just stepped in and boom, record turns—sounds like he got the right timing.