The Philadelphia Phillies had every reason to leave their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers frustrated. After all, they opened the series with an impressive 10-7 victory. However, they failed to capitalize on that win and missed an opportunity to make a statement against the team with the best record this season. Instead of dwelling on that, interim manager Don Mattingly expressed confidence in his clubhouse.

“No, nothing in this series changes our thoughts,” he told the reporters after the series loss, as per NBC Sports Philadelphia on X. “If we play well, we’re capable of beating anybody. So there’s nothing that happened in this series that changes my view at all.”

After Philadelphia’s narrow 2-1 defeat in the second game, many hoped for a turnaround. The reality, however, was far different, as the Phillies suffered a 9-5 loss in the rubber game to drop the series at home. Unfortunately, it marked their second home series loss since the All-Star break.

They had wrapped up the first half of the season with a 54-43 record. Now, having lost four of their last six games, the interim manager believes that’s no reason to start doubting his players.

So, where does Mattingly’s confidence come from? It stems from how the players performed throughout the series. Take Trea Turner, for example. He sparked the Phillies with two home runs and five RBIs in the opener, helping them secure their only win of the series. Alec Bohm, on the other hand, went 5-for-8 over the final two games with four RBIs.

The Phillies recalled Bryan De La Cruz from Triple-A on July 21. He went 1-for-2, delivering the game-tying homer in the fifth inning. Other players like Brandon Marsh and Bryce Harper provided reliable pop for the lineup on multiple occasions throughout the series. 

Notably, Mattingly has always had his players’ backs. Earlier this week, Turner had a difficult outing at shortstop, but instead of criticizing him, the 65-year-old publicly praised his work ethic.

He displayed a similar stance for J.T. Realmuto. The catcher had a “lapse in judgment” in the ninth inning of the second game, which dashed the Phillies’ hopes of even tying the game. Don Mattingly refrained from pointing any fingers, and instead, praised Realmuto for how he took accountability after the loss. Additionally, the manager stressed better communication between the dugout and the third base coach. 

The Philadelphia Phillies are currently second in the NL East with a 56-47 record. Looking at the wild card race, they are 2.5 games ahead. While the team prepares to host the New York Yankees this weekend, the fans hope to see more than just positive words from Mattingly and the clubhouse.