When Dave Dombrowski signed on with the Phillies as president of baseball operations, back in December of 2020, he came out with a strong message, saying, "I consider a retool, not a rebuild.... There's too many good players on this club."
It was true: The Phillies had a backstock of good players, and wanted to use them to win. He came in swinging, though, true to his word. At the end of his first month, he traded for José Alvarado, and continued to add as aggressively as he could.
Here are Dave Dombrowski's 5 best acquisitions for the Phillies, ranked by fWAR
No. 5: Jesús Luzardo, 5.3 fWAR
Acquired via trade from the Miami Marlins, Jesús Luzardo came on with the Phillies as a high-end fourth starter in 2025. With a number of injuries, though, Luzardo was thrust into a heftier role, one that was crucial in the long haul to the Phillies winning the division.
Through the first two months, Luzardo pitched brilliantly, working a 2.15 ERA and a 2.31 FIP. Then teams began to notice Luzardo tipping pitches and teed off accordingly. In back-to-back starts after this two-month stretch, he gave up a combined 20 earned runs.
This caused his season totals to inflate drastically. Granted, he wasn't as dominant as he was to start the season, but after those two atrocious starts, Luzardo managed a 3.57 ERA and a 2.86 FIP. On the year, he still managed a sub-4.00 ERA and a superb 10.6 SO/9. Even with the struggles, Luzardo was a fantastic trade acquisition for Dombrowski.
No. 4: Matt Strahm, 5.6 fWAR
Though recently reunited with the Kansas City Royals, Matt Strahm should be remembered fondly in Philadelphia for his reliability out of the bullpen, the one bright spot in a unit that struggled often over the last few seasons.
Strahm signed with Philadelphia in 2022, soon after the crushing World Series loss to the Houston Astros. He began his tenure with the Phillies as a starter, but his transition to the bullpen made him one of the most essential members of the roster.
Since 2023, only five relievers have more fWAR than Strahm, including Aroldis Chapman and Emmanuel Clase. Count in his 159 ERA+, his sub-1.00 WHIP, and his near-5.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and an elite reliever takes shape.
The underwhelming return package aside, Strahm's departure will be a significant loss for the Phillies this season. His success with the club was undeniable: here, he pitched easily the best baseball of his career.
No. 3: Brandon Marsh, 8.9 fWAR
The expectations for Brandon Marsh were quite high when Dombrowski made the trade with the Los Angeles Angels. While he hasn't met all of them, he has been a solid fixture in the lineup across left and center field.
While the defensive numbers have been shaky, particularly last season's -7 DRS, his numbers at the plate place him as one of the better hitters out of left field. Out of all qualified left fielders since 2023, Marsh's .341 wOBA puts him seventh in baseball, as does his .787 OPS.
Again, the defense can be shaky, and the high strikeout rate of almost 30 percent is a concern. The Phillies outfield projects to be almost entirely different come 2026, and Marsh will be the longest-tenured player among the group. The projections don't appear to be great, but Marsh's past production is an indicator of his ability to contribute.
No. 2: Kyle Schwarber, 11.3 fWAR
Like a Kyle Schwarber at-bat, it's been a wild ride for the Phillies and the slugger. Pilfered from Dombrowski's old team, the Red Sox, in free agency, Schwarber has been electric with the bat over the last four years.
Every year with the Phillies, Schwarber has received MVP votes, finishing second in 2025. Among all hitters since 2022, he's 10th in slugging percentage, sixth in wRC, and his .349 OBP is attributable to his high walk rate, considering he's batting .226 in Philly.
Those skills can hamper, especially his monolithic strikeout rates, but they can benefit, too, as seen with his home run from last season's playoffs against the Dodgers. He is the definition of the three true outcomes (strikeout, walk, or home run) and love it or hate it, that makes Schwarber magnetic to watch.
No. 1: Trea Turner, 14.7 fWAR
Trea Turner is a mystifying player. He's streaky, but his lightning speed and smooth style make every opportunity a must-see. For the most part, he hasn't been quite the player he was with the Washington Nationals or the Los Angeles Dodgers, but 2025 was a big breakout for Dombrowski's biggest free agent acquisition.
A National League batting title and a top-five MVP finish highlighted Trea Turner's 2025 season, but he made an equally important leap defensively, chopping his errors in half and posting a positive DRS for the first time since 2021.
Turner struggled in 2023, his first year with the club, but since then he's been back to being one of the best shortstops in baseball. He's sixth at the position in fWAR, wRC+, OPS, and stolen bases. While his streakiness came back to bite the Phillies in the 2025 postseason, there's no use in denying that Turner has been a fantastic signing by Dombrowski, a big market name with game-changing potential.