Rob Thomson, champagne bottle in his right hand, stood Saturday night in the center of the Phillies clubhouse as his players circled around him. The team was seven games below .500 when Thomson stepped in as manager, yet here it was in October standing just four wins from the World Series.
Thomson, 59, spent a lifetime in baseball but didn’t get his chance to manage until this summer. He seemed to connect almost immediately with his players. Zack Wheeler said he’s human. J.T. Realmuto said the manager is a calming presence. Rhys Hoskins called Thomson genuine and relatable.
And none of that came as a surprise to Derek Jeter, who was just 18 years old when he first met Thomson.
