Phillies fire manager Joe Girardi and name his interim replacement

Dave Dombrowski and ownership decided they couldn't wait any longer for the underachieving Phillies to start winning, so they fired manager Joe Girardi on Friday.

Despite the fourth-highest payroll in MLB at $233 million, the Phils only compiled a 22-29 record under Girardi this season and had lost 12 of their last 17, putting them 12 games behind the National League East-leading Mets going into Friday.

"I think we're better than we've played," said Dombrowski during a Friday afternoon news conference at Citizens Bank Park. "... I think we needed a different voice in the clubhouse."

While the roster is short on quality defensive players and the bullpen is weak, the Phillies have been inconsistent at the plate, lacking in the fundamentals and some of Girardi's decision-making has been curious, to say the least.

For instance, Girardi had light-hitting Roman Quinn pinch run for Nick Castellanos in the ninth inning Tuesday night against the Giants. While Quinn scored to tie the game, he came to bat with the bases loaded in the 11th inning and struck out to end the game.

Girardi also tended to give relievers a second inning in key spots, such as Nick Nelson staying in to pitch the ninth May 24 vs. the Braves. He allowed two runs as the Phils fell 6-5.

The 57-year-old Girardi went 132-141 in 2½ seasons with the Phillies, who were off Thursday and began a three-game series against Mike Trout and the Angels on Friday night with a 10-0 victory.

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Girardi was 910-710 in 10 years with the Yankees, winning the 2009 World Series over the Phillies. He was voted the 2006 National League Manager of the Year with the Marlins, only to be fired following a 78-84 campaign.

Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations, declined to pick up the fourth-year option for Girardi in 2023, making him a lame duck this year.

Bench coach Rob Thomson takes over for Girardi on an interim basis through the end of the 2022 season. Thomson worked with Girardi in New York and has been the bench coach here since Gabe Kapler was manager in 2018.

Dombrowski said he believes the Phillies as currently constructed can be one of the three NL wild-card teams.

"I think we can make the playoffs (with this roster)," he said. "We have to play better and (the offense must be more consistent)."

It's unclear who the Phillies might be interested in as a possible permanent successor to Girardi. Bruce Bochy and Mike Scioscia are among the available former managers.

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes; @TomMoorePhilly

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Phillies fire Joe Girardi, name Rob Thomson interim manager