Philadelphia Rubs Salt in Rob Thomson’s Wounds After Phillies Manager Left Rattled by Radio Criticism

Despite Sitting atop the NL East, The Philadelphia Phillies have had few reasons to doubt themselves this season. Before notching a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves at citizens bank park, the Phillies faced three consecutive losses to the Mets. It led to the Mets being thrust right back into the division race. “We’ve got to have a sense of urgency to win games.” That was Bryce Harper speaking after the game, whose World Series dream has yet to be fulfilled.

Against the Mets, many of the Phillies’ stars struggled mightily. For example, Trea Turner went 1-for-14, whereas Kyle Schwarber went 0-for-11. On the other hand, J.T. Realmuto went 0-for-12. The team was 3-for-22 with runners in scoring position.

Out of all, only Bryce Harper was the one who put together a strong series. He went 5-for-13 with two RBI against the Mets. Yet, his individual success couldn’t mask the team’s larger struggles.

The Phillies are still leading the division and are realistic contenders for the top seed in the National League. Yet, it’s seemingly not enough to win the World Series. “It’s (about) understanding that we have to have a sense of urgency as well, you know? We can’t just say, ‘Hey, we’re four games up, and we’ve got a lead on them.'” Harper said after the Phillies sweep at the hands of the Mets.

The Phillies cannot get comfortable right now and if they do, the red-hot Mets could force them into a wild card spot. For now, Thomson’s admission to the sting of the radio jabs has only sparked harsh criticism from the Phillies nation.

Phillies fans react to Thomson’s “character win” comment

Rob Thomson’s postgame remarks after the Phillies’ win over the Braves struck a nerve with the fanbase. While the manager praised the team’s resilience and acknowledged the negative noise from local radio, many Phillies fans weren’t ready to move past the recent sweep by the Mets.

One fan wasn’t convinced Friday’s victory erased anything, pointing directly back to the Mets series: “Still gotta answer for those 3 Mets games!” With the sweep, the Mets trimmed what was once a seven-game deficit down to just four games behind the Phillies in the NL East.

Another echoed that sentiment but boiled it down to a simple solution: “Beat the Mets and fans will settle down. Pretty simple.” New York sits just five games behind the Phillies for first place in the division with four more games against Philadelphia still to be played the week following the next. So the Phillies still have a chance to secure the top spot.

Others were harsher, calling out the lack of production from some of the Phillies’ stars. As one comment put it: “The fans should be booing your underachieving players 🙄.” The Phillies bullpen especially continues to be a weakness, with a 4.32 ERA and .247 batting average against, ranking among the worst in the league for most of 2025.

History wasn’t far from fans’ minds either. A frustrated supporter reminded everyone of a darker chapter in Phillies lore: “I guess he hadn’t heard of the 1964 Phillies collapse.”

In 1964, the Philadelphia Phillies experienced one of the most infamous collapses in baseball history. It is often referred to as “The Phold.” The team then embarked on a devastating 10-game losing streak. This collapse cost them the pennant, allowing the St. Louis Cardinals to win the National League title.

And some questioned Thomson’s focus altogether. One fan bluntly stated, “If he’s listening to what the radio stations are saying instead of trying to get his team on the right track, then he’s got bigger problems.”

It’s clear that Friday’s win gave the Phillies some relief on the field. However, the Phillies nation is still demanding consistency, urgency, and above all, answers against the division rival Mets.