The Philadelphia Phillies have made a major managerial change, firing Rob Thomson on Tuesday after the high-priced team stumbled to a disappointing 9-19 start. In a move that sent shockwaves through the baseball world, the Phillies have named Don Mattingly as interim manager—but the real intrigue centers on what could have been.

Many insiders believed that Alex Cora, who was let go by the Boston Red Sox just this past weekend, was the natural successor. Cora has close ties to Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski, dating back to their successful tenure together in Boston. However, speculation was quickly put to rest by reporter Bob Nightengale, who revealed on X that "Alex Cora was offered the Philadelphia Phillies managerial job before Don Mattingly but declined. He has decided to spend time with his family."

It's a move that signals Cora may be prioritizing a reset after years in the intense Boston spotlight. Remember, Cora was initially hired by Dombrowski in the fall of 2017, leading the Red Sox to a World Series title in 2018. The idea of jumping from one pressure-cooker market to another in a matter of days would have been a frenzied whirlwind—and burnout is a very real factor in this high-stakes game.

As for Mattingly, the former New York Yankees great and six-time All-Star joined the Phillies organization in January as bench coach under Thomson. At the time, Thomson was fully on board with the hire, telling MLB.com, "Dave and I have been talking about hiring a guy like Donnie with that type of pedigree. Because as great as our staff is, we don't have that guy who's been a star in the big leagues."

Interestingly, Mattingly had said in January that he had no aspirations to manage again, telling MLB.com, "I don't think I have the energy for that anymore. I feel like those days have passed me by. So I don't have any aspirations to manage again." That was before his previous stints as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-2015) and the Miami Marlins (2016-2022).

So, could Alex Cora still be the Phillies' next manager down the line? His reason for declining now seems genuine—a desire to step back and recharge. Perhaps he waits things out a bit, letting the dust settle before making his next move. For now, the Phillies turn to Mattingly to steady the ship, while the baseball world watches to see if Cora's name resurfaces when the timing is right.