Two years in, Thomson still getting Phils to 'just go play'

PHILADELPHIA -- "Just go play."

It'd be a disservice to simplify Rob Thomson's two years at the helm down to those three words, but in a way, that perfectly exemplifies what has made him the right man for the Phillies’ job.

It doesn't matter who the opponent is or who's in the starting lineup or who's on the injured list: Just go play.

The Phillies commemorated the two-year anniversary of Thomson's managerial debut by following that mantra to perfection in their 3-1 win over the Brewers on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

On a day when Philadelphia placed two players on the injured list, promoted two others from Triple-A and welcomed back former fan favorite Rhys Hoskins in an emotional reunion, the Phillies (42-19) simply went about business as usual against the fellow first-place Brewers (36-24).

It's that mindset that has led the Phillies to 216 wins (including the postseason) since Thomson took over, tied with the Dodgers for the most in MLB during that span.

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"When he took over, it was like, 'Just go play,'" third baseman Alec Bohm said. "There's just a feeling of so much mutual respect between everyone in here. He knows the game, he knows how hard it is, how the game works. I think a lot of the success that's happened is because he's been really good about saying, 'All right guys, go play.'"

That means trusting a guy like Zack Wheeler to dig a little deeper. The Phillies ace allowed just one run -- a Hoskins homer -- over seven innings while throwing a season-high 114 pitches.

It also means giving an immediate opportunity to a guy like David Dahl -- hitting .340 with 12 home runs and a 1.076 OPS in 43 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley -- on the same day he was called up. Dahl received a phone call at 12:45 p.m. while sitting in his room watching Netflix on what was supposed to be an off-day.

After driving to the IronPigs’ ballpark to pack his stuff, Dahl made the 90-minute drive from Lehigh Valley with Weston Wilson, also promoted on Monday.

“Found out when we were about 20 minutes away that I was in the lineup,” Dahl said. “So I was like, 'All right, I’ve got to lock in. Here we go.'”

Dahl rewarded Thomson’s faith by singling and later scoring on a Johan Rojas base hit in his first at-bat. He smashed a solo homer in his second.

“He was really good,” Thomson said.

Dahl is just the latest Phillie to come up and immediately produce after getting a vote of confidence from Thomson. Kody Clemens did it earlier this season. Rojas did it in the second half last year.

“Our player development system does a great job of honing their skills and getting them ready to come here and contribute,” Thomson said. “And we’ve done that for the last couple years; it’s great.”

Though Thomson isn’t one to take any credit, his players have no problem recognizing his role in that success.

“He's super calm, he doesn't stress out,” said Aaron Nola, the longest-tenured Phillie based on team debuts. “I think that's great for the players to see a manager like that. It keeps us calm and helps us go out there and play our game, especially for guys just coming up or guys new to the team.

“This game is hard, in general, and they obviously want to succeed. If it's their debut or their first year here, to see a manager calm and trusting them and letting them be themselves helps a lot. I think that's really shown the last two years.”

Bohm was in that spot not too long ago.

Though he wasn't a rookie, Bohm had a .652 OPS over 164 games from the start of 2021 until Thomson took over in '22. Not to mention some infamous defensive miscues. But Bohm has a .776 OPS in 308 games since Thomson’s debut, and he’s become one of the game's best clutch hitters over the past two seasons.

"He's just a guy who really respects the game and spent his whole life around the sport," Bohm said of Thomson. "Someone like that is just a perfect fit to lead this team."

Added second baseman Bryson Stott: “With him, you can't tell if we've lost four in a row or we've won 24 in a row. When you have your leader remaining so steady, it helps everyone."

Thomson has said he’d given up on his managerial aspirations prior to the Phillies giving him a chance in 2022.

Two years in, he’s enjoying the ride every bit as much as his players.

“I've had the most fun of my life,” Thomson said of his two years at the helm. “I really have.”