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Tag: Dave Dombrowski

  • Vetting the Free Agent Market – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Phillies

    With the off-season almost in full effect, the Phillies will look to bolster their roster during the winter meetings. The free agent class isn’t anything special, but there are a few big names available. 

    It will be interesting to see what the Phillies do since most of their roster is under contract. Rightfully so, Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos are the two names constantly out in trade talks. Whether they trade them for a direct replacement or overall roster improvement is set to be seen. I don’t see them being able to move, say, Castellanos for a quality starting right fielder. It is more likely they would be able to move him for a bench guy or low-level reliever.

    After looking through each position there aren’t a ton of free agents options that stick out to me. Nevertheless, let’s take a look at the potential free agents the Phillies could benefit from. 

    CATCHER

    The obvious re-sign here is JT Realmuto. Not only is he the best catcher on the market, he is still a top player at his position in baseball. I mean just look at some of the other names out there Salvador Perez, Victor Caratini, Danny Janson, James McCann, Austin Barnes, Gary Sanches, shall I go on? There really isn’t a question on what to do here.

    FIRST BASE

    First base is a little more interesting because of Pete Alonso. The Mets first baseman may be the best player available on the market. Alonso has a player option with the Mets but can elect to become a free agent like he did after last season. Alonso, who hit .272 with 38 homeruns and 126 RBIS last season would provide a huge boost to the lineup. He could split time at first base with Bryce, allowing Harper to get the rest he needs at this point in his career. The die hard in me says no thank you to Alonso. He may be a productive addition, but I would struggle seeing that man in a Phillies uniform. 

    Ryan O’Hearn and Josh Naylor were the two other names that stuck out to me, but I don’t see the Phillies having interest in those guys, unless O’Hearn was brought on as a bench bat.

    SHORTSTOP

    The Phillies do not need a shortstop; however, we do need a third baseman. Bo Bichette would be an unreal replacement for Bohm. He will probably receive a massive contract, so I doubt the Phillies can make the money work, but adding Bichette to this lineup would be a difference maker.

    Trevor Story was the other option at shortstop, but I see him returning to Boston. He has a club option (that the Red Sox can reject), however Story was a productive player for the Red Sox this season and he will stay put in Boston.

    Third Base

    The hot corner is up for grabs this year in Philadelphia. Free agent wise Alex Bregman is the most obvious move the Phillies make. He is an experienced player who is an above average fielder and hitter. His offense will provide more consistency than Bohm, and he is more mature which should help the Phillies in the playoffs. Maybe the Bregman move is too obvious and Dombrowski goes another route, but this move makes sense for the Phillies. 

    Eugenio Suarez is another intriguing third baseman, however his age (34) may be an issue for Philadelphia. The Phillies did express interest at the deadline, so he may be on their radar but I don’t see Suarez as a great FA signing for the club. 

    Max Muncy does have a club option, which I expect to be picked up. Muncy would be awesome to have on this roster even at 35. He can play all over the infield and is a proven bat. Unlikely he isn’t a Dodger, but an interesting name that may be available to the Phillies. 

    CENTER FIELDER

    Outfield is another spot the ballclub will look to upgrade this off season. The outfield in Philadelphia is wide open. The two best options for center are Cody Bellinger and Harrison Bader. Bellinger will cost a pretty penny and seems like a guy who would stay in NY, but he would be an ideal fit for the Phillies. He can play all 3 outfield positions and first base. With our current lineup, I wish he batted right-handed, but Bellinger would be a difference maker for this team offensively and defensively. Bader would also be a great signing. He does have a player option, which most likely gets declined making Bader a FA. He provided outstanding defense and vibes to the Phillies last season. Bader would be welcomed back to Philadelphia.

    RIGHT FIELDER

    There is only one right fielder I would be interested in and he would be my ideal FA signing – Kyle Tucker. Still only 29 years old, Tucker will thrive in this Phillies lineup. He can fill in at the four spot behind Bryce, giving him the protection he needs. Although his defense has declined the last few seasons Tucker is still a capable defender and an upgrade over Castellanos. This signing would make the Phillies off-season and only add to their World Series potential. 

    DESIGNATED HITTER

    Easy one here. Sign Schwarber, unless you want Joc Pederson (lol) or Marcell Ozuna (LOL). Pay him what he wants.

    STARTING PITCHERS

    One thing the Phillies are flush in is starting pitching. The Phillies own Ranger Suarez is a free agent, but even if they don’t re-sign him the starting pitching still looks good. There are some big names on this list, but if the Phillies were to add a starter in FA (outside of bringing back Ranger) I could see a name like Zac Gallen or Shane Bieber being connected to the Phillies. With Painter still a little bit of an unknown and the injury to Wheeler, either would be a potential sneaky add to the Phillies, that gives them the pitching depth needed for the playoffs.

    RELIEF PITCHERS

    The bullpen could also use some work. Alvarado has a club option so it is yet to be seen if he will be back. With the need for a left-handed arm, it is likely Alvarado stays with the club. Regardless they need to fill the spots of Romano, Ross, and Robertson. There are a few relievers on the market that should interest Dombrowski. First, Devin Williams. He had a somewhat of a down year with the Yankees but still has electric stuff. Adding him to the bullpen with Duran (and Caleb Cotham) could be deadly. Tyler Rodgers is another name that interests me. Although a little older the submarine pitcher is still highly effective. He could be a useful player but may add too many right-handed arms. The last name that stood out was all-star closer Robert Suarez. Coming off a monster season with the Padres, Suarez can opt out of his contract. Maybe he decides to chase a payday. Unlikely but his arm would be a welcomed addition to the bullpen.

    Photo Credit: Scott Taetsch

    Tags: Dave Dombrowski Kyle Tucker Major League Baseball Philadelphia Phillies Ranger Suarez

    Categorized: Phillies

    Liam Mahoney

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  • Stay or Go – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Phillies

    Phillies President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski on his phone during batting practice before the Phillies play the San Diego Padres in game two of the National League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

    With the 2025 Phillies season over we look toward next year. The World Series was played in the NLDS and the Phillies are still on the cusp of a World Series after a few years of playoff disappointment. Let’s take a look at who should stay or go for the Phillies next season.

    Stay

    JT Realmuto  

    He is the best catcher on the market. He is vital to our pitching staff. Look at the growth of Wheeler, Suarez, and Sanchez. Caleb Cotham is phenomenal but JT deserves a lot of credit too.

    For as much as people complained about his regular season hitting, JT actually showed up in the playoffs, hitting .353 with 6 hits including a home run. So spare me age or whatever reason you come up with to not re-sign him. The guy is still a really good ball player. The bigger issue is how much we rely on JT to knock in runs. If the offense can add more production you don’t have to rely on JT to carry the load.

    Kyle Schwarber

    He has got to stay. The lineup would be worse off without him. You can say what you want about his performance in the playoffs, but game 3 shows how important he is to the team. The second he homered everything got going. I am not sure fans realize how much this team would have struggled without his 56 home runs and 132 rbis. You cannot replace that. Pay him whatever he would like.

    Ranger Suarez

    The loss of Ranger Suarez feels inevitable. Andrew Painter should be added to the rotation, but there is still a spot for Ranger. Wheeler is not going to be healthy to start the season and who knows how his recovery will go. A rotation of Sanchez, Luzardo, Suarez, Nola, and Painter is still nasty. Ranger will come at a high cost, but with no salary cap I don’t see any reason for him to leave other than Middleton avoiding a tax. 

    Let’s not forget Ranger has been deadly in the playoffs and Toppers failure to use him in game 1 is a huge reason they lost the series. Ranger needs to be a Phillie next season, even though the feeling is he won’t be.

    Justin Crawford

    Crawford should be on this roster. He will add youth and speed to this team. I think he should have been called up in the second half of last season, but the Phillies decided against it. Since he didn’t get an opportunity last season, it will be interesting to see how productive Crawford will be for the Phillies. The teams biggest mix up this offseason will likely be in the outfield. I would love to see Crawford start in left or center for the Phillies.

    Jose Alvarado

    Alvarado is a really interesting case for the Phillies. He has been one of our better relievers the past couple seasons, but a PED suspension kept him out for most of the season and the playoffs. Alvarado has a $9 million dollar player option, which makes sense for the Phillies to pick up. It is not anything too expensive and they need a left handed arm. I think he stays but feel indifferent on his status.

    Go

    Alec Bohm

    The team needs to move on from Bohm. He just isn’t it. Doesn’t hit for average, doesn’t hit for power, isn’t a great fielder but also isn’t a bad one, and offers nothing on the basepaths. 

    For being 6’5” he severely lacks in power which hurts the lineup (and top 3 hitters) as a whole. You expect your 3rd baseman to have some power, but the Phillies have not gotten that. They do not have a true 4 hole hitter and I would like to see them fill that role at 3rd base or right field. Regardless, it is time to move on from Bohm. 

    Nick Castellanos

    Castellanos has been one of the more interesting players for the Phillies the last few seasons. He is one of the most frustrating players on the team to watch. Free swinger, who gets fooled by the same sequence over and over. But at the same time, he has had many big moments at the plate and even on defense during the playoffs. Overall his hitting has been fine, but his defense is not nearly good enough. In fact, it is awful. His first step is the slowest I have seen, he leaves so many outs on the field that look like he made the correct play but in reality, he physically can’t reach the ball. A new RF is needed. Just move him, I do not care about the return. 

    Maybe Stay Maybe Go

    Bryson Stott

    Stott is an interesting case. He could fit in the same category as Bohm. A player from the “Day Care” not developing as much as we hoped. However, I feel this team has bigger holes to fill than Stott. His fielding is second to none and he makes them an infinitely better defensive team. His at bats leave a lot to be desired but having Sott hit 8th or 9th with his defense helps this team a lot. There is not a logical reason to move on from him. He should stay. 

    Harrison Bader

    Most of the fans would like to see Bader back in CF. The fit is there, but the contract will be the question. He added “something” to this team that was previously missing. Bader was a mold of hitter that fit what the team needed and played great defense; he was missed during the NLDS. Bader coming back depends on his cost, which may end up being too high for Middletown and Dombrowski, but he would make an ideal starting CF.

    Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler

    I decided to pair Kepler and Marsh together. I do not see both of these players coming back together. Throughout the season I assumed Kepler would be one and done, but he came on strong at the end of the year and had a good playoffs. Depending on the outfield options I could see them bringing back Kepler on a cheap deal. 

    I also believe the will hold onto Brandon Marsh. There seems to be a belief in the lockeroom that he can get his hitting figured out. The issue is he cannot hit lefties. So, if Marsh is on the roster next season, he may need to be paired with a right-handed bat. Marsh is an interesting piece because he is still young and has shown potential, but I feel we have seen the player that he is. The Phillies shouldn’t look to move him but if a trade package makes sense, we could see Brandon Marsh on the move.

    Photo Credit: Yong Kim/Philadelphia Inquirer

    Tags: Alec Bohm Brandon Marsh Bryson Stott Dave Dombrowski Harrison Bader John Middleton Jose Alvarado JT Realmuto Justin Crawford Kyle Schwarber Major League Baseball Max Kepler Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Phillies Ranger Suarez

    Categorized: Phillies

    Liam Mahoney

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  • MLB rumors: Phillies expected to trade or release Nick Castellanos, report says

    He didn’t say it in his season-ending press conference — despite a bevy of questions and chatter about the Phillies’ murky outfield situation heading into 2026. But according to a report from The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Dave Dombrowski is going to be making at least one bold move to shake things up for next season:

    “The Phillies are expected to either trade or release the veteran outfielder, club sources have said. Dombrowski’s reluctance to say anything about Castellanos on Thursday affirmed that stance. When asked about Castellanos, Dombrowski said he could not comment on “specific players that are on our roster under contract,” then spent the next 34 minutes doing just that.” [The Athletic]

    If the Phillies simply release Castellanos, 33, they’ll have to eat the $20 million they are on the hook for in 2026. A trade would be ideal, but clearly if they’re showing their hand like this it will be a tough task.

    However, the move would make sense. Especially if the Phillies decide they want to stick with September superstar Harrison Bader, whom the Phillies acquired at the trade deadline.

    An outfield with top position prospect Justin Crawford in left, Bader in center and Brandon Marsh in right sounds like it might be the right mix for 2026. 

    Dombrowski outright said that Max Kepler would not return and did give some praise to up and down speedster Johan Rojas, who finished the year in the minors and was then too injured to be a runner off the bench in the postseason. If Casty’s days are numbered, the outfield equation becomes much clearer.

    Castellanos has been streaky and has had some extremely clutch moments during his four seasons in Philadelphia. His numbers on offense weren’t awful, as he slashed .260/.306/.426 over four seasons. But his shaky work in right field was enough to see his consecutive games streak end despite his good health this season. Spats with manager Rob Thomson about being a part-time player didn’t help.

    Last year there were rumors that were just as cut and dry claiming that third baseman Alec Bohm was leaving Philly and he wound up playing for the team every day in 2025, so take the report with a grain of salt.

    But for a team that is looking to replicate the 1990s Braves’ regular season dominance — and desperate to at least equal the one World Series that Atlanta won during its 14-straight playoff appearance spurt from 1991-to-2005 — solidifying the best 26-man roster and trimming the fat is a necessity.

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    Evan Macy

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  • Phillies ace Zack Wheeler diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, out for remainder of 2025 season

    Zack Wheeler has been diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, with thoracic outlet decompression surgery recommended, the Phillies announced on Saturday afternoon. The Phillies added that the timeline for that procedure is generally 6-8 months.

    For Wheeler, the 2025 season is over. Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski confirmed as much to the media minutes after the announcement was made, speaking alongside Head Athletic Trainer Paul Buchheit. Dombrowski said there is every expectation that Wheeler will return to pitching after his recovery.

    Dombrowski – and, moments later, Phillies manager Rob Thomson – expressed disappointment for Wheeler but made clear they believe the team still has more than enough to win a World Series.

    “Of course it’s never good to lose a Zack Wheeler, your number one pitcher,” Dombrowski said. “I think we have starting pitching depth that’s capable of pitching well for us, pitching well in the postseason. Again, you’re never going to replace an individual like that.”

    Thomson, meanwhile, said he has been operating as if Wheeler would not return in 2025 since the discovery of a blood clot landed the right-hander on the injured list last Saturday.

    Wheeler’s last few starts were riddled with uncharacteristic struggles with command – possibly caused by ongoing soreness in the same right shoulder area where he needed surgery. Buchheit was asked if Wheeler’s prior shoulder discomfort was tied to this far more serious situation.

    “He wasn’t exhibiting any of the symptoms that ultimately drove us to get Washington Nationals doctors involved in evaluating,” Buchheit said. “…We do think that they were independent, and typically these things kind of have a cluster of symptoms, symptom patterns. He wasn’t exhibiting any of those until we had him evaluated [in Washington D.C.].”

    Buchheit said that Wheeler experiencing “heaviness” was what prompted the additional tests, which revealed the results leading to first a procedure on Monday to remove the blood clot in his right upper extremity and in the coming weeks, the thoracic outlet decompression surgery.

    While the daunting timeline rules out Wheeler for the remainder of 2025 and could jeopardize his ability to be available for Opening Day 2026 – Dombrowski was not yet ready to speculate about the latter issue – Buchheit said the team caught this early, which will be in Wheeler’s favor.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • What Does the Addition of Austin Hays Mean for the Phillies? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    What Does the Addition of Austin Hays Mean for the Phillies? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    At first glance, the Phillies’ trade for outfielder Austin Hays from the Baltimore Orioles is not all that exciting.
    Despite making the All-Star team last year, the right-handed hitting outfielder is not a superstar or at least a burgeoning one, like the White Sox’s Luis Robert Jr.

    His game does not explode off the screen–in more limited action this year than in years past, Hays is hitting .248 with just three home runs in 165 plate appearances. So no, Austin Hays as a player is not inherently exciting–but what he could mean for the team in 2024 is. Hays was brought in to fill a gaping hole in the Phillies’ battered and weary lineup: a righty-hitting outfielder. His services cost the team, Cristian Pache and Seranthony Dominguez, opening another hole in the bullpen and starting a conversation around playing time.

    How will Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas be used now that Hays is on the roster? 

    The initial assumption was that Hays, who positively crushes left-handed pitching–batting .328 with a .894 OPS in 72 at-bats this year–would platoon in left field with Marsh, who hasn’t hit left-handed pitching whatsoever this year.

    Instead, manager Rob Thomson has expressed that Hays would get the chance to start every day. And why not?

    Hays does have the pedigree: from 2021 to 2023, he hit .261 cumulatively, with home run totals of 22, 16, and 16, respectively. He can play all three outfield positions and’ll be under team control via salary arbitration next year. 

    There is a simple truth to Hay’s acquisition: the Phillies are not comfortable, especially in the postseason, with Marsh and Rojas’ ability to start in the outfield every day.

    Marsh, for all of his lovability and defense versatility, cannot hit lefties to save his life. Rojas, who was sent down to AAA earlier this year, cannot hit any pitcher regardless of which hand throws the ball.In October, the Phillies will invariably face a gauntlet of left-handed pitching.

    Whether Hays starts every day or rotates in a platoon with Marsh, the Phillies are primed to be better prepared against lefties. 

    PHOTO: —

    Dylan Campbell

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  • Phillies acquire Angels closer Carlos Estévez

    Phillies acquire Angels closer Carlos Estévez

    The Phillies bolstered their bullpen Saturday night, acquiring closer Carlos Estévez from the Los Angeles Angels a couple of days out from Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline.

    The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was among the first to report.

    Pitching prospects George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri are going to LA in the trade.

    Just a day and change after making the much-anticipated move to add an outfielder — acquiring Austin Hays from the Baltimore Orioles — Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski added a relief pitcher with the requisite skill and experience to appear in high-leverage situations. Two valuable young arms in the midst of breakout seasons were the cost of doing business.

    Estévez, who is 31 years old and will become a free agent following the 2024 season, is enjoying a career year, posting exceptional numbers across the board — most notably a 2.38 ERA and a 0.73 WHIP. All opposing hitters have combined to slash .169/.202/.288 against him this season. Estévez has done a terrific job of limiting base-runners in 2024 despite giving up a decent amount of hard-hit balls. While this could make him a candidate for some regression, he still figures to be an extremely important part of Phillies manager Rob Thomson’s bullpen for the duration of the regular season and into October.

    Klassen, 22, was a sixth-round pick by the Phillies in 2023 who has improved his command this season and allowed his stuff to take over. Across 14 minor-league starts in 2024, he has posted a 1.97 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 59.1 innings pitched. There have been concerns about whether Klassen could eventually handle the workload of a full-time starter, or eventually transition to a relief role.

    Aldegheri, 22, recently earned a promotion from Single-A to Double-A, as the southpaw has held hitters to a .564 OPS across both levels.

    Whether or not Dombrowski and co. add another arm remains to be seen, but in right-handers Jeff Hoffman, Orion Kerkering and Estévez, as well as left-handers Matt Strahm and José Alvarado, Thomson will have plenty of weapons at his disposal come October.

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  • Phillies quick hits: Homestand begins with series win over Cardinals

    Phillies quick hits: Homestand begins with series win over Cardinals

    Over the course of an 162-game regular season, even the greatest baseball teams experience adversity at some point. For the 2024 Phillies, riding high through 50 games or so, that adversity finally struck when the team struggled in a six-game west coast road trip, winning only two out of their six games against the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants.

    The team returned home for a six-game homestand before it departs for a two-game set against the New York Mets in London, and got right back to their winning ways. Here is what jumped out from their three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals:

    Back of bullpen flexes muscles in series opener

    The Phillies have had one or two weak links in their bullpen at most points of this season — which is the case for just about all clubs every season — but what is much more important than who a manager’s least-trusted bullpen weapons are is who their most reliable options are. Phillies manager Rob Thomson has the remarkable luxury of utilizing three different relief pitchers who would be the no-doubt-about-it closer for the majority of major-league teams.

    That was never more evident than during Friday night’s 4-2 victory over St. Louis. Aaron Nola threw 6.1 innings of two-run ball, only allowing three hits. Nola was at 96 pitches and could have tried to complete the seventh inning, but because Thomson has three horses, he decided to not take any chances. Thomson needed eight outs from his three highest-leverage relievers, and they did the job without allowing a single runner to reach base.

    First was Matt Strahm, who in 2024 — his first full season as a relief pitcher after being forced into an unplanned starting role at the beginning of 2023 — has been the best left-handed reliever in baseball by just about any metric. Despite not having a triple-digit fastball in his back pocket, Strahm has become a master at striking out hitters, and he has done so with impeccable command. He constantly pounds the strike zone and 

    Up next was José Alvarado, who went from being demoted to Triple-A to the most dominant left-handed reliever in just a few months during 2022 and has since established himself as a mainstay at the back of Thomson’s bullpen. The hard-throwing southpaw had a disastrous Opening Day in 2024, allowing five earned runs in 0.2 innings pitched. But since then he has been lights out.

    While Alvarado’s strikeout numbers have normalized a bit in 2024 — for the prior year and a half or so, they were outrageous; this season they are simply very good — the flamethrower has still done an outstanding job pitching in almost exclusively high-leverage situations. Alvarado has kept right-handed hitters in check, while left-handed hitters are essentially automatic outs against him right now.

    Alvarado went onto make a true web gem Sunday night:

    The ninth inning belonged to Jeff Hoffman. In 2022, the Phillies’ front office and pitching coaches found a diamond in the rough in Andrew Bellatti, who gave them solid innings as a middle reliever and occasional setup man. Last season, as Bellatti’s production waned, an even more impressive scouting success became apparent in the signing of Hoffman. Initially signed to a minor league deal, Hoffman became Thomson’s most relied-upon right-handed reliever by the time the 2023 Postseason was underway — and the former first-round pick, just a handful of months away from hitting free agency as a coveted arm, has gotten even better in 2024.

    In addition to the best starting pitching rotation in the majors, the Phillies have the best bullpen trio in baseball with Strahm, Alvarado and Hoffman. It is a recipe for success all summer long, and it is certainly a recipe for success in October.

    Edmundo Sosa’s revenge

    When Edmundo Sosa caught the final out of the 2022 National League Wild Card Series at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, the Phillies poured out of their dugout and rejoiced a playoff series victory. But it had to have been a bit sweeter for Sosa, who had been traded by the Cardinals to the Phillies just a few months earlier. Sosa fell out of favor in St. Louis, was shipped to Philadelphia and instantly became a key bench contributor for Thomson’s club.

    Since Trea Turner went on the Injured List, Sosa has not just been a viable replacement: he has been so good that the team may consider moving him to the outfield — where he has very rarely played during his professional career — once Turner returns from injury just to keep his bat in the lineup.

    On the first pitch of his first at-bat of the series, Sosa demolished a slider that Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas left over the middle of the plate. It landed onto Ashburn Alley, a true rarity these days. Sosa absolutely obliterated this ball, the longest home run of his major-league career:

    When the Phillies acquired Sosa back in 2022, it seemed like a minor move. But he kept finding ways to help the team through its playoff run. Now, someone once believed to have the ceiling of a platoon player is making a strong case that he needs to play on an everyday basis.

    Finally, some right-handers

    Because of the makeup of the Phillies’ lineup and roster, there is a certain way opposing teams are going to attack them: showing them as many left-handed pitchers as humanly possible. With Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper entrenched in the top three of the order and Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh in the middle of it — with right-handed alternatives like Whit Merrifield and Cristian Pache largely struggling at the plate this season — it makes sense to challenge them in that way.

    Entering Saturday, the Phillies had 784 plate appearances against left-handed pitching in 2024 — the second-highest total belonged to the Miami Marlins at just 722. Some of it is bad luck, but some of it can certainly be attributed to teams identifying their best chance of limiting Thomson’s high-powered lineup.

    In the Giants series, southpaws started all three games for San Francisco. But, in a change of pace that the Phillies surely welcomed, they faced three right-handed starters in the series against the Cardinals: the struggling Mikolas, a star in Sonny Gray and grizzled veteran Lance Lynn. They are expected to face right-handers in at least the first two games of their upcoming series against the Milwaukee Brewers, if not all three.

    The biggest winner here is Marsh, who may have speculated struggles at times due to a lack of consistent at-bats. Marsh’s production against left-handers has gone from bad in 2022 and 2023 to worse in 2024, and Thomson has frequently opted to play Merrifield or Pache in left field when his team is facing a lefty. 

    While the cries for Marsh to see more consistent playing time have some merit, it is awfully difficult to blame Thomson for not wanting to start the fan favorite outfielder against southpaws. In 46 plate appearances against left-handed starting pitchers in 2024, Marsh is slashing .129/.196/.175, striking out 20 times and drawing just four walks. 

    In any case, truly playing on an everyday basis — even for just one homestand — could be quite helpful for Marsh. However, the 26 year-old outfielder left Sunday’s game after suffering a right hamstring strain rounding second base.

    Taijuan Walker hit hard again

    Since returning from the Injured List and making his 2024 regular season debut on April 28, Walker has been the lone weak link of the Phillies’ starting rotation. The veteran right-hander’s ERA was 5.51 entering his second start on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” this season, and it only grew in the series finale. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol’s lineup was aggressive, and were rewarded with plenty of hard-hit balls.

    In the first inning, Walker allowed three balls to be put in play, and all three of them were hit at an exit velocity of at least 103 miles per hour — including a two-run home run by Cardinals slugger Nolan Gorman that came off the bat at 108.6 MPH. In the third inning, Walker put the Cardinals’ leadoff man on with a walk before allowing another two-run shot — this one hit by Alec Burleson at 105 MPH. In addition to allowing plenty of hard contract Sunday night, Walker also struggled with command. 

    Walker’s final line Sunday: 5.0 innings, five hits, four runs (all earned), five strikeouts and three walks on 93 pitches (56 strikes). As has often been the case during his Phillies tenure, he received good run support, ultimately receiving a no decision. With seven starts and 37.2 innings now in the books, Walker’s ERA is now 5.73. 

    As Burleson rounded the bases following his no-doubt homer, a noteworthy portion of the crowd began chanting “we want Turnbull,” in reference to Spencer Turnbull, who dazzled as the team’s fifth starter for the first month of the season in Walker’s absence before being moved to the bullpen once the veteran was activated.

    After Ranger Suárez was forced to exit Saturday’s game after just two innings, Thomson turned to Turnbull for bulk innings. The 31 year-old right-hander, who initially struggled in his transition to a relief role — Turnbull had never appeared in a major-league game out of the bullpen before 2024 — threw three lights-out innings, allowing no runs, hits or walks while striking out six. 

    It remains to be seen if the Phillies will be willing to pull the plug on Walker in the starting rotation — it would be difficult to do in the second year of a four-year, $72 million contract. All evidence that exists to date suggests Turnbull is this team’s fifth-best starting pitcher.

    The big questions remains: how long is Walker’s leash going to be?

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  • Revisiting the Brandon Marsh Trade – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Revisiting the Brandon Marsh Trade – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Despite missing the bulk of spring training with unexpected arthroscopic surgery on his knee, Brandon Marsh has been the Phillies’ best and most consistent hitter through the team’s first 16 games.

    Marsh is batting over .300, leads the team in home runs, and is touting an OPS of just under 1 to start the year. Although Marsh was viewed as a platoon piece in left field, set to split time with the newly added Whit Merrifield, he has seemingly taken over the job for the time being. Marsh has proved thus far that he can indeed hit lefties while Merrifield has struggled to find his footing yet offensively. 

    There was a ton of skepticism when the Phillies traded their top prospect, catcher Logan O’Hoppe, to the Angels for Marsh at the 2022 trade deadline. O’Hoppe was highly regarded by the Phillies but the team lacked leverage because O’Hoppe’s path to the majors was blocked by JT Realmuto who was already considered by many as the best catcher in baseball and already signed to a big contract. 

    Marsh was still a great prospect though. Before reaching the majors in 2021, Marsh was ranked as the 53rd best prospect in all of baseball according to Baseball America. His success in the minors had not translated to the majors however as he struggled to put the bat on the ball during his time with the Angels. 

    The trade made sense from a fit perspective as the Phillies had no real options in centerfield. Odubel Herrera’s career had fallen off a cliff at the time and Marsh was under team control until his age 30 season in 2028. 

    Although Marsh isn’t necessarily considered the centerfielder of the future just yet for the Phillies, the conversation is not dead. Johan Rojas’ bat has shown signs of life over the last week, but if Rojas can’t get it together offensively Marsh could very well work his way back into centerfield, and given his start to the season, it wouldn’t be surprising if he never gives it back. 

    Looking back almost two years later, this trade seems like a win-win for both clubs as Marsh has come into his own in Philadelphia after a very good 2023 season and a great start to 2024 while O’Hoppe seems to have a very bright future as the franchise catcher in Anaheim. 

    Photo via Yahoo! Sports

    Evan Carroll

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  • As we approach spring training, Dombrowski addresses the fans – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    As we approach spring training, Dombrowski addresses the fans – Philadelphia Sports Nation


    Although this 2024 free agency period has been excruciatingly slow for Major League baseball as a whole, the Phillies find themselves in a great spot according to team president, Dave Dombrowski. Dave met with WIP on Wednesday to discuss the offseason plans, what went right, what went wrong, outlook for the team, and plans before the season starts. The Phillies are happy with what they have, but they aren’t shutting down the idea of adding to the team, especially with the teams World Series window currently wide open. The Phillies, coming off 2 straight NLCS appearances, feel that they have a team on paper that is a contender, regardless of what Phillies fans on twitter are saying. When looking from afar, the Phillies are a top 6 team in baseball, and a top 3 team in the National League behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. However, Phillies fans, myself included, have become accustomed to a major splash in free agency which has us scratching our heads at the lack of moves we’ve seen so far.

    Coming into the off-season, the Phillies’ main goal was to strengthen their pitching staff which they did by resigning one of our aces, Aaron Nola, early in the process. “I think overall that assessment is accurate. Quiet doesn’t mean inactive…But yeah, it’s been quiet. Our first real big goal was to get a starting pitcher with Aaron [Nola] becoming a free-agent.” Dombrowski also confirmed reports that the Phillies were very aggressive in trying to sign new Dodger, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. “I think people would be shocked if they found out how much money we put on the table for him…but he wanted to go to the Dodgers. That was just the way it was.” Two other players the Phillies were linked to this offseason as bulk relievers/depth starters were Jacob Junis and Jordan Hicks. Both ended up signing elsewhere with the intention of being full-time starters. It’s interesting to hear how infatuated they truly were with Yamamoto. The organization is already over the luxury tax and if they truly did make a substantial offer, it shows that ownership is sticking to their word, that they will do whatever they can to win another world series. It will be interesting to see if they do infact decide to throw out an offer to Blake Snell, the reigning Cy Young winner, or Jordan Montgomery.

    The other major question coming into the offseason was if Johan Rojas was going to be our starting centerfielder or if the team would look elsewhere, being linked to Cody Bellinger multiple times this offseason. After the elimination to the Diamondbacks in the NLCS, the Phillies were noncommittal to Rojas being the starter, pointing out that he had work to do with his bat to be ready to be the full-time starter, especially after struggling mightily in the playoffs. Dombrowski hinted during the interview that the plan is still for Rojas to be the starter, mentioning that Rojas has been working all winter with Manny Amador and Kevin Long. Kevin Long was asked about Rojas’ work ethic this offseason back in December where he explained what they’ve been working on. “He’s probably taking the most swings of anybody we have up to this point,” He’s really hard on his front side,” Long said. “He doesn’t really hold his body position well, and he goes hard forward. So, we really quieted down his load. Everything he does. Until he attacks, he should stay stacked more. You should see less head movement… He’s also a little bit wider. He’s staying into his legs better. He’s not jumping at the ball. “I think he’s moving and progressing about as well as I could ask for right now,” Long said. “In order for us to become a championship team, he’s going to need to do better in the playoffs. He knows that. That’s why he’s working so hard.” When Dombrowski was asked to commit to WIP if Rojas was to be our starting centerfielder this year he responded “Likely, Yes. Definitely, No. I think he can do enough offensively and when you add his speed in there, and his defense, he comes a real plus.” I think its important to note that this was not a major commitment from Dave and brings me back to his quote,  “I can’t tell you,” Dombrowski said, “that somebody doesn’t fall in your lap at some point and you say, ‘Gee that’s an opportunity you can’t turn down.” This seemed to be the exact stance the Phillies took when we eventually landed Nick Castellanos, as the team is watching intently to the market and seeing who may possibly be out there to help this team. Cody Bellinger seems to be a name that isn’t going away, with Bob Nightengale recently saying the Phillies are his choice from his sources to sign the former MVP.

    Dombrowski also made it clear that, in terms of the culture of the team, the Phillies want to give young players a chance to contribute at the big-league level. That includes Rojas as well as reliever Orion Kerkering and No. 5 starter Cristopher Sanchez. For years we’ve had a laughable farm system and it’s nice to see that we are finally having a strong youth movement in the organization. One name the Phillies will not see this year in Andrew Painter. Dombrowksi made it clear that he will not be pitching for the big-league team in 2024. “Painter’s rehab is going fine…He’s just tossing at this point, which is where he should be. I don’t really look for Andrew to pitch this year. I’m looking towards 2025. I guess you can always be surprised, but I don’t want to put that pressure on him.”

    When asked about where the Phillies stand with Zack Wheeler, Dombrowski mentioned they are still very interested in exploring an extension, pointing out that Wheeler loves it here in Philadelphia. Wheeler is currently slated to be a free agent next season and it is imperative to lock him up before he hits the open market. “Well, we would love to sign Zack today if we could. I think it’s important we re-sign him. I think he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball…I know Wheels loves it in Philadelphia.” Phillies Beat Writer, Matt Gelb recently pointed out that the Phillies will need to wait until Spring Training to sign Wheeler to an extension so that his AAV would not affect the 2024 luxury tax hit. “The Phillies are still expected to engage Zack Wheeler on a potential contract extension this spring. (By waiting until the spring, a potential new contract would not have luxury tax ramifications in 2024.)”

    To close out the interview, the guys at WIP had to ask about the report that Bryce Harper wants an extension. A report came out at the beginning of the offseason that Bryce was looking for a 5 year extension and to make his AAV much closer to other superstars in the league. To me, this seemed exactly like a Scott Boras attempt to get more money and it seems Dombrowski isn’t putting any weight behind the report. “He’s in a situation where you can always desire or want—anybody can—anything that they like. “One way I would just say it…we’re thrilled that he’s on board. We know that he’s a Phillie for eight more years.”

    To summarize the interview; The organization feels they are a top team in baseball. They are comfortable with their starting pitching but are keeping an eye on the market, with names like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery still out there. And although he sounds open to the idea of adding to the team if the right opportunity comes up, the organization is more than comfortable with breaking camp with where they currently stand. Buckle up Phillies Nation, Spring Training is almost here.



    Ean Sullivan

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