The MLB coaching carousel has already begun since the end of the regular season, with five teams looking for new managers for 2026, but that list may increase depending on what happens this October. Here are four managers who might lose their jobs if their teams fail to make the playoffs.
Aaron Boone
If the New York Yankees fail to advance in the playoffs, may Aaron Boone’s career in the Bronx come to an end? The Yankees, who have a 23-24 playoff record under Boone and have yet to win the World Series, face the Boston Red Sox in Thursday’s do-or-die Wild Card Game 3. He made dubious selections in Game 1 of the Wild Card series against the Red Sox, not starting Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm Jr. despite both ending in the top 15 in AL slugging %, and replacing Max Fried with reliever Luke Weaver, who failed to record an out and allowed two earned runs.Since taking over as manager in 2018, Boone has been the target of fan ire for years. If the Yankees fail to progress, ownership must determine whether Boone is the proper guy to continue commanding the dugout.
Rob Thomson
Since replacing Joe Girardi in the midst of the 2022 season, Rob Thomson has managed the Philadelphia Phillies to the playoffs every year, including a World Series trip. He has a decent 20-14 postseason record, so how is he on the hot seat? The Phillies have regressed year after year in October, including being defeated in the 2023 NLCS by the Arizona Diamondbacks and railroaded by the New York Mets in the 2024 NLDS. The biggest concern has been the offense disappearing during important times, which has become an annual occurrence. If the Phillies suffer a second consecutive swift postseason exit, doubts about Thomson’s future will arise.
Mike Shildt
Mike Shildt’s Padres have made the playoffs in his first two seasons as manager, with 90-win seasons in a row. However, after leading the Los Angeles Dodgers two games to one in last year’s NLDS and scoring 21 runs in the first three games, the Padres were blanked in Games 4 and 5, resulting in a humiliating defeat. San Diego is in win-or-go-home mentality in Thursday’s NL Wild Card Game 3 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Another early exit might jeopardize Shildt’s future with the Padres.
Alex Cora
Alex Cora, the only manager on this list to lead a team to a World Series title, has been the Red Sox manager for seven seasons, with the exception of being suspended for the 2020 season for his participation in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing incident in 2017. Cora was on the hot seat earlier this year as the Red Sox struggled, but they rebounded and entered the playoffs for the first time since 2021. If Boston fails to win Game 3 of the AL Wild Card series against the Yankees and make a playoff run, Cora’s stint as Red Sox manager might come to an end this winter.