Pete Mackanin Will Manage the Phillies in 2016

The Phillies announced today that Pete Mackanin, who has been serving on an interim basis since June, will be the team’s manager next season.

The Phillies extended his contract through 2016, with a club option for the following season. “Pete has developed an excellent rapport with our players and has also connected well with the media and our fans,” Phillies president Andy MacPhail said in a statement. “Equally as important is his eagerness to take on the challenge of rebuilding the team and further developing our players.”

Mackanin took over when Ryne Sandberg resigned on June 26th. The Phillies are 30-46 under Mackanin, a .395 winning percentage. Sandberg was 26-48 (.351).

Mackanin has been praised by Phillies writers for his laid-back approach this season. He speaks good enough Spanish to joke around with the team’s many Latino players in the language, per the Inquirer. He’s known for a dry sense of humor that the players have apparently responded to positively.

This is Mackanin’s third stint as a major league manager, but next year with the Phillies will be his first starting a season in charge of a big league club. He previously managed Pittsburgh (2005) and Cincinnati (2007) on an interim basis, taking over mid-season, before doing the same with the Phillies this year. He’s 83-99 overall as a manager.

The Phillies still do not have a general manager. It seems unlikely, then, that Mackanin will last more than another season, as a new general manager usually installs a new coaching staff. The Phillies are currently searching for Ruben Amaro Jr.‘s replacement.

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