Why all eyes are on Phillies’ Dave Dombrowski at MLB GM Meetings

With a full Phillies season under his belt, it’s Dave Dombrowski’s time to shine.

The General Managers Meetings are back in-person and mark the first big event of the offseason. Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is surely hard at work to retool the roster.

Moves already made this offseason include allowing JD Hammer, Odubel Herrera, Travis Jankowski, Andrew Knapp, Andrew McCutchen Ramon Rosso, and Ronald Torreyes to enter free agency; as well as claiming left-handed reliever Ryan Sherriff off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. In addition, the Phillies reunited with infield coach Bobby Dickerson and hired Kevin Long, a World Series-winning hitting coach formerly of the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals.

When asked at the GM Meetings what were the Phillies’ top needs this offseason, Dombrowski noted left field, center field, and the closer role. Furthermore, if Dombrowski had to pick one area specifically, he would like to acquire someone who he could count on to close games. He continued that he would like to add two late-inning arms, in particular.

“Some names worth watching include [free agents] Raisel Iglesias, Kenley Jansen, and Mark Melancon,” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury said on a recent broadcast. “Craig Kimbrel — who the Phillies have long had an interest in — could be had in a trade.”

Here is why the Phillies are unlikely to be in the mix for big-name shortstops.

One position that is believed the Phillies are unlikely to address through free-agent signing or trade is shortstop. While Didi Gregorius disappointed last season — slashing just .209/.270/.370 and committing 18 errors in the field — the Phillies have an up-and-coming prospect who seems poised to debut in 2022.

According to Salisbury, Dombrowski has “talked up” Bryson Stott at the GM Meetings. He even visited the 2019 first-round pick at the Arizona Fall League and reportedly told him to come to spring training “with the mindset of winning a big-league job.” Stott was one of three Phillies minor-leaguers named to this Saturday’s Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game.

“Dombrowski sees big potential on both sides of the ball and says he would not hesitate to keep Stott in the majors if he wins the job,” Salisbury adds.

Given the Phillies have many other areas to address this offseason — and with the luxury tax always in the back of the front office’s minds — it seems unlikely that the team will make a long-term commitment to a free-agent shortstop this offseason, especially with Stott looming.

Jon Heyman recently predicted on MLB Network that the Phils will be active in the coming months, especially considering their recent history. “They have been an aggressive team and have signed a big free-agent each of the last several seasons — [J.T.] Realmuto, [Zack] Wheeler, [Bryce] Harper,” Heyman said. “They want to win and have been around .500 for several years in a row. ”

“I think they will focus on pitching and there are a lot of good starters available.”