Phillies Believe Championship Window Remains Open

The Philadelphia Phillies seemingly keep taking steps backward.

The Phillies surprisingly reached the World Seres in 2022 and lost to the Houston Astros in six games. In 2023, the Phillies fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Championship Series. The Phillies then were upset by the New York Mets this year in a National League Division Series.

Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski admits that falling short of a World Series title has been frustrating. Yet he also believes his team’s window to contend for the team’s first championship since 2008 remains open.

“Really, I think our club has been good enough the last couple of years to win a world championship,” Dombrowski, who built World Series-winning teams with the then-Florida Marlins and Boston Red Sox, told Draft Nation. “Sometimes, you just have to play better at the right time. In ’23, we all of a sudden quit hitting for a couple of games. I felt before that we were going to play in the World Series. Then last year we didn’t play well.

“You’re always looking to get better, and we want to be better but sometimes it comes down to playing well at the right time. So sometimes you might want to change a person or two (on the roster) but the reality is we feel we have a championship-caliber team.”

However, Dombrowski would like to add to his club this offseason. Dombrowski loves star-caliber players and has gained the reputation for making splashy moves throughout his five-decade career as an MLB executive.

The Phillies met with the biggest free agent on the market, outfielder Juan Soto, this past week. Philadelphia is hoping that Soto’s close relationship with Phillies shortstop Trea Turner from their days as teammates with the Washington Nationals can help sway the 26-year-old star to come to the City of Brotherly Love.

“I think we’re very open-minded than what we have been in other years,” Dombrowski said of adding players without being specific. “Because even though we have a lot of good players, I think we need to be more open-minded about possible moves.”

One position that could be upgraded is center field. Johan Rojas’s defensive runs saved from 16 as a rookie in 2023 to four in 2024 as he also hit just .243/.279/.322 with three home runs in 120 games.

“There were a lot of clubs in the postseason where their center fielders were more offense than defense, the Yankees being a prime example with Aaron Judge,” Dombrowski said. “I think it’s a different time period and I think it’s difficult to find center fielders who are above average both offensively and defensively. Those guys are stars.”

The Phillies are also looking for a fifth starter to complete their rotation behind right-handers Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola and left-handers Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez.

Top prospect Andrew Painter pitched in the Arizona Fall League after missing the previous two seasons while recovering from Tommy John reconstructive surgery, but the Phillies want to bring him back slowly. Also still around is Taijuan Walker, who has two years remaining on a four-year, $72-million contract, but the Phillies have lost confidence in him after posting a 5.27 ERA in 50 games over the past two seasons.

The Phillies’ two potential biggest free agent losses are relievers Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman. Estevez had six saves and a 2.57 ERA in 20 games last season after being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in a trade while Hoffman notched 10 saves and a 2.17 ERA in 68 games while being selected to the All-Star Game.

The Phillies are more likely to sign either one or the others. Or Dombrowski could opt to acquire a closer after having eight pitchers post saves last season, led by Jose Alvarado’s 13.

“I’d love to have a guy who’s good enough that you say, ‘Here you go,’ I don’t care if it’s a lefty, I don’t care if it’s a righty, because then you can build your bullpen around that,” Dombrowski said “But there’s not many of those guys around anymore that are so dominant.”