Latest news with #DaveDombrowski
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Insider proposes Phillies target this top AL East reliever to fix struggling bullpen
For the Philadelphia Phillies to make a deep postseason run, they must revamp their beleaguered bullpen after losing top reliever Jose Alvarado to an 80-game PED suspension. An MLB insider believes the Phillies must trade for this right-handed arm from an American League East team. The Phillies have one of the worst bullpens in baseball. They rank 17th in hits allowed (200), 23rd in WHIP (1.42), 25th in ERA (4.65), and 26th in batting average allowed (.264). Advertisement They replaced two high-leverage relievers in Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez with Jordan Romano, who has a 7.36 ERA and 1.591 WHIP. But his ERA has been more than cut in half since it was 15.26 following a six-run implosion in two-thirds of an inning against the Miami Marlins on April 19. With the Phillies trying to navigate their bullpen issues, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan believes the Phillies should target Tampa Bay Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks at the trade deadline. 'The Phillies' bullpen has been one of the worst in baseball. Even if it was much better in May, their only reliever with a sub-3.00 ERA was Orion Kerkering. And with Jose Alvarado down for 80 games and out for the postseason following a PED suspension, the need for help is that much more grave,' Passan writes. He continued: 'Philadelphia's bullpen torpedoed its playoff run last year. And with Alvarado and Jeff Hoffman missing, the onus is on president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to find enough arms that can generate swing-and-miss against the gauntlet that is the NL.' Advertisement Fairbanks has a 2.05 ERA and 194 ERA+ across 23 appearances, but he does walk 4.9 batters per nine and has a 1.227 WHIP. His fastball velocity averages 97.1 mph, placing him in the 91st percentile, but his strikeout rate sits at just 23.4%, placing him in the 57th percentile around league average. If the Phillies do make it to the postseason, they also have in-house candidates for the bullpen like starters Ranger Suarez, Andrew Painter and Mick Abel. Suarez has pitched in high-leverage situations before as a reliever and Painter and Abel can throw gas. Fairbanks would help the Phillies get through the regular season before October rolls around, but they could still use another arm or two. Related Headlines
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
As Trade Season Starts, Look For The Phillies To Shop For A Closer
Rejoice! It's nearly trading season. And this go-around, it's a guarantee the Phillies will be a busy participant in trade talks leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. And also a guarantee: The Phils will be looking to upgrade its weakest unit — the bullpen. The buzzy name already attached to the Philly is Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks. ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan calls Fairbanks 'the best fit' for Philadelphia, saying: 'Maybe it's Fairbanks. Maybe it's [Washington's Kyle] Fairbanks, who has 10 saves and a 2.05 ERA and who's better option than anyone the Phillies currently have, is a proven late-inning weapon, tallying 68 saves since 2023. He does it with a power heater and also wields one of the nastiest pitches in baseball: a 95-mph changeup. (Not a typo, that's a 95-mph changeup). Take a gander at the Ninja-worthy pitch: As Passan notes, with Jose Alvarado gone for 80 games and out for the postseason after a PED suspension, the need for relief help "is that much more grave' in Philly. Yes, it's only June 3 and the Phillies' bullpen already looks zonked, with a collective ERA of 4.65, the third-worst in the National League. Current closer Jordan Romano, who has improved after a nightmarish start to his Phillies career, still gives queasy vibes, and neither Matt Strahm (3.70 ERA) nor Orion Kerkering (3.18 ERA) look like lockdown guys. So it will be Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski's mid-summer gig to find a swing-and-miss reliever (or two or three) that his team desperately needs. It's been a looming priority after Philadelphia's bullpen blitzed its postseason run last year. And if Dombrowski looks to trade from a surplus — which is starting pitching — he has a pretty good trade chip in Phillies rookie Mick Abel, who has reestablished his prospect pedigree with a sensational 2025 at Triple-A. Abel also aced his big-league debut with six shutout innings against the Pirates in a spot start on May 18. And on Sunday, the Phillies recalled the kid and inserted him into the rotation as Aaron Nola gets healthy from an ankle ailment. So, if Abel pitches well during his extended audition, it's a solid bet he'll be included in a deadline deal for a closer. In addition to Fairbanks and Finnegan, other potential trade targets include Baltimore's Félix Bautista, Boston's Aroldis Chapman and the Angels' Kenley Jansen. Phillies fans have clamored for A's closer Mason Miller since last year's trade deadline but the A's are unlikely to deal the low-salaried reliever; plus, Miller is having a down season (5.49 ERA). But no matter who it is, Dombrowski and staff will be busy looking for a new lights-out closer before July 31.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Phillies Front Office Trends Suggest Ex-Yankees All-Star Could Be Bullpen Trade Target
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Philadelphia Phillies endured a surprising sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday and it prompted some big changes to the roster. As the team looks to recover from the loss of reliever Jose Alvarado after a harsh suspension, it made a series of moves in a surprising bullpen shakeup. The Phillies designated Jose Ruiz for assignment, called up Seth Johnson from Triple-A, moved starter Taijuan Walker to a relief role and brought young starter Mick Abel into the rotation. But even as the team looks to bounce back from the sweep with that series of changes, it seems unlikely they are finished addressing their relief corps. "The Phillies will shop in the reliever aisle," Scott Lauber reported for The Philadelphia Inquirer. "With (Dave) Dombrowski leading the front office, the Phillies dealt for a reliever at three of the last four deadlines." SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 28: President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski of the Boston Red Sox reacts before the 2019 Opening day game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 28, 2019 in... SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 28: President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski of the Boston Red Sox reacts before the 2019 Opening day game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 28, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston)Given that history and the team's need, Lauber suggested the Phillies could add Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman in a trade. "Even if the Red Sox don't fully wave the white flag, they could trade lefty closer Aroldis Chapman, who has provided a solid return (2.05 ERA, 8-for-9 in save chances through Thursday) on their $10.75 million, one-year investment," Lauber wrote. "He's throwing more strikes, too, reducing his walk rate to 9%, his lowest mark since 2020." Though Chapman is enjoying a resurgent season with the Red Sox, he's best known as a former superstar with the New York Yankees, for whom he earned three of his career seven All-Star nods as the best closer in all of baseball at the time. Though he's no longer on that level, his season in Boston so far is showing he could be a significant add for a team pushing toward the World Series. The Phillies are hoping to qualify as that kind of team, though they'll need to sort out their bullpen first. More MLB: Phillies' Bryce Harper Breaks Silence on Kyle Schwarber's Upcoming Free Agency
New York Post
28-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Phillies' Dave Dombrowski on NL East: 'dogfight all year long'
Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski joined Joel Sherman & Jon Heyman this week on The Show. Watch now:
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies Trade Idea Lands Them Paul Skenes
Jeff Passan made a splash in the MLB world when he suggested on the Pat McAfee Show that it could well be in the best interests of the Pittsburgh Pirates to move All-Star and All-MLB first team pitcher, Paul Skenes at some point in the future. Perhaps as early as prior to the July 31 trade deadline. Although Pirates general manager, Ben Cherington, shot down immediate trade rumors, it is still not inconceivable that the 17-33 Pirates sell when their most prized asset's stock is sky high. Advertisement Skenes is currently the favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award; and aged just 22, there is no doubt that the Pirates would receive a haul in return. Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer has the Philadelphia Phillies down as a top candidate to trade for Skenes, were he to become available in the near future. "Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski loves his blockbuster trades," Rymer writes, "and he's in a spot where all options should be on the table to keep the club's contention window open. The Phillies are a good team, but the roster skews older, and the last two trips to the playoffs have been a letdown. Paul Skenes for the Pittsburgh Pirates, May 2025Kyle Ross-Imagn Images In exchange, the Phillies would give up right handed pitchers, rookie, Andrew Painter, and Mick Abel; alongside shortstop, Aidan Miller. Advertisement However, Rymer believes that this trade could end up being counterproductive for the Phillies given Painter's impressive rookie season with Philadelphia. "Even setting aside the fact that they don't need pitching, there is the question of whether swapping out Painter for Skenes would be robbing Peter to pay Paul. Painter has Skenes-like upside, and he should be ready to begin tapping into it at the major league level before the end of this season." Skenes is a next-level talent, but sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make. Particularly for a GM as historically aggressive as Dombrowksi. Related: Phillies' Jean Segura Sends Heartfelt Message to Philadelphia Fans After Retirement Decision Phillies Trade Idea Lands Them Paul Skenes first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025
