Rob Thomson not satisfied with tying '01 Mariners for best start: 'What they'd do at the end?'

The 2024 Philadelphia Phillies have won 36 of their first 50 games, something no MLB team has done since the 2001 Seattle Mariners, a team that won 116 regular season games.

However, that Mariners lost in the American League Championship series.

Manager Rob Thomson and the Philadelphia Phillies understand that despite the historic start, the goal remains the same and is most important—and that's win the World Series.

"116, but what they'd do at the end?" Thomson asked a reporter on Wednesday night, following the Phillies' fifth straight win, who brought up the '01 Mariners winning 116 regular season games.

"That's right, so you've got to keep going. You just got to keep grinding, keep pushing all the way through."

"That's big time, that's leadership right there," Joe DeCamara said on Thursday's 94WIP Morning Show of Thomson's comment. "That's really good leadership. Listen, I'm not saying he cracked the code, but I'm telling you that mentality is the right mentality and I appreciate that."

Thomson, 60, was named the Director of Player Development in 2000 for the New York Yankees, the team that defeated that aforementioned Mariners team in the 2001 ALCS.

This is the first time in franchise history the Phillies have started 36-14 or better and Phillies radio broadcaster Scott Franzke brought that up postgame to Phillies reliever Matt Strahm on SportsRadio 94WIP.

“Yeah, but other teams have won the World Series," Strahm said, humbly.

Strahm (3-0) earned the win in relief on Wednesday night, allowing no hits and one walk in 1.1 innings. Strahm now has a consecutive scoreless inning streak of 20.1 innings and an ERA of 0.87 on the season.

NL Cy Young favorite Zack Wheeler gets the ball for the Phillies on Thursday as they look to complete the three-game sweep of the defending champion Texas Rangers at 1:05pm on 94.1 WIP-FM and the Audacy app.