After an abysmal NLDS loss in 2024, the overall morale between players and fans alike were at the lowest they’ve been in this Philadelphia Phillies era. Then after their NLDS opponents, the New York Mets, continued to strengthen their roster, it was clear that the Phillies needed to start addressing the problems on the 40-man in Philadelphia. However, after they clinched the National League East out in LA last week, these Phillies continue to prove that they have something special at the bedrock of this team because in the 140 or so years that the franchise has existed, they have never been able to solidify their place in the postseason picture this early.
The Phillies completed a rally from behind to win the division-clinching game in extra innings. A J.T. Realmuto sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th scored trade deadline acquisition and spark plug Harrison Bader to give them the lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5. With another deadline acquisition Jhoan Duran having pitched in the ninth, Phillies manager Rob Thomson called upon mid-season free-agent pickup David Robertson to close out the game.
Dave Dombrowski's in-season moves are the difference maker in 2025 postseason race
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski probably knew going into this season that the bullpen, which for the past two seasons has notoriously imploded when the team needed them most, could be an issue. Obviously, the Duran trade was the biggest move, but every addition Dombrowski has made throughout the season for the arm barn seems to have paid off.
While just Duran and Robertson were in Monday's victory, every reliever Dombrowski signed or traded for during the season has been instrumental in this team's success, especially after the Jordan Romano and Joe Ross washes.
Jhoan Duran's entrance in the #Postseason is going to be crazy 🕷️ pic.twitter.com/emLtDQZRcy
— MLB (@MLB) September 16, 2025
While the verdict on Walker Buehler is still out, his first outing with the team, in which he went five solid innings, seems promising. The control issues he had in Boston seem to have disappeared. Assuming he'll be one of the odd men out of the rotation come the postseason, Buehler, along with Dombrowski's other additions of Tim Mayza, Lou Trivino, Robertson and Duran, will continue to elevate this bullpen. Finally taking the need for relievers seriously, specifically high-leverage relievers in late innings, and solidifying an electric closer, all these moves will define the Phillies' postseason.
The one other significant addition that Dombrowski seems to make every year at the deadline is trading for another outfielder, which he successfully did this year with Bader. After a highly successful outfield in 2023, the team's trio last year never seemed quite to click, hence the deadline move for left fielder Austin Hayes, which worked as well as the Romano signing.
This year's addition, however, has been different. Bader's boisterous personality and constant jokes made a significant impact on the clubhouse very quickly. As he has received more playing time, his influence has also been felt on the field.
Dave Dombrowski's in-season acquisition grade: B+
While the season started with some questionable additions, Dombrowski made up for it with his mid-season signings, with the majority of them being the reason for the Phillies' latter-half success. This iteration of the roster is as cohesive a unit as their other two championship-winning teams in 1980 and 2008.
This group might not have been if it weren't for Dombrowski's keen eye for talent, both in free agency and at the trade deadline. Thanks to Bader, Duran and the rest of the team's newest members, the Phillies could be successful in their hunt for Red October.