Phillies Bench Coach Rob Thomson Linked to Blue Jays Managerial Position

Phillies Bench Coach Rob Thomson signing autographs at the annual Phillies Phestival on Thursday, June 21, 2018, at Citizens Bank Park (Matt Rappa/SportsTalkPhilly.com).

By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor

While former Philadelphia Phillies third baseman David Bell is a "possible favorite" to become the next manager of the Cincinnati Reds, the club's current bench coach, Rob Thomson, could similarly earn a Major League managerial role with the Toronto Blue Jays.

According to Fancred's Jon Heyman, although Thomson is "well-respected and well-liked," but "just not that well-known," he "makes sense as a candidate" to replace John Gibbons as the Blue Jays manager for the 2019 season.

Heyman writes:

The belief is the Blue Jays will hire someone young to grow with their young team. Stubby Clapp, who won two Manager of the Year awards with Triple-A Memphis, could be a candidate. Clapp is a Canadian, which doesn’t hurt.

Mark DeRosa, who finished his career in Toronto and appears to be a hot candidate, plus two more from MLB Network — Sean Casey and Dave Valle — could be of interest. If Clapp is hired, he’d be the first Canadian to hold the position with the Jays.

Phillies bench coach Rob Thomson is another well-regarded Canadian, and he'd make sense as a candidate, too.

Thomson was in the running to succeed Joe Girardi as the New York Yankees' manager last offseason after spending 28 seasons within the organization, however he lost the job to Aaron Boone on Dec. 1. Thomson ultimately joined Gabe Kapler's staff four days later.

Thompson previously served as Yankees bench coach, third base coach, major league field coordinator, special assignment instructor, director of player development and vice president of minor league development.

Thompson filled in for manager Joe Girardi for three games in 2008, and was believed to be the first Canadian to "manage or stand in to manage a major league game since George "Mooney" Gibson in 1934, according to MLB.com. Thompson also previously managed the Short-Season A Oneonta Tigers of the New York-Penn League in 1995.

Heyman also listed Thomson, Major League Player Information Coordinator Sam Fuld, and Special Assistant to the General Manager Jorge Velandia among 57 candidates "most primed for a manager's job" this offseason. The Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds and Blue Jays are all currently in need of a new manager.

Kapler has already said the entire Phillies coaching staff will return in 2019. It is not known, however, if the Sarnia, Ontario, native in Thomson — along with Fuld or Velandia — would leave to join other organizations as manager, if offered.