The Philadelphia Phillies have clinched the NL East and a first-round bye for the MLB playoffs this season. They don't yet know who they're facing in the NLDS, which begins Oct. 5, and there are plenty of potential matchups still to be determined this weekend.
With the Phillies having their eyes set on a World Series championship this year, the last possible thing that they want is to have some of their former players get in the way. Not only would it thwart Philadelphia from obtaining the ultimate prize, it would likely sting a lot more since they could have done it with the Phillies instead.
We will take a look at three former Phillies who could prove to be headaches for their former club this postseason.
3 former Phillies who could be headaches in the 2024 MLB playoffs
Seranthony Domínguez, BAL
It's pretty rare for a contending team to trade a player at the deadline to then have them come back and bite them the very same year as the majority of the time, contending teams deal with a non-contenders. However, there is a possibility of it happening to the Phillies this year after they sent reliever Seranthony Domínguez to the AL-contending Baltimore Orioles in the trade for outfielder Austin Hays.
After starring as one of the Phillies’ main reliable bullpen cogs in 2022, Domínguez had struggled for each of the past two seasons. This year, things got even worse when he compiled a dismal 4.75 ERA over 38 appearances with Philadelphia, easily his worst ERA posted in his MLB career. With his inability to get batters out, he became expendable at the trade deadline as the Phillies used him to address their outfield need.
Since joining the Orioles, though, Domínguez has tidied up his game a bit and supplanted the now-released Craig Kimbrel in the closer’s role. In 23 appearances before Friday’s action, he has gone 10-for-11 in save opportunities while posting a 3.43 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with seven walks and 26 strikeouts in 21 innings. As he continues to gain confidence and lock down games for the Orioles, the last thing the Phillies would want is for Domínguez to do it against them in the most important games during the World Series.