Phillies 2026 News and Discussion

[Philsmania]

When does it ever not go that way though? Charlie didn't deserve to be fired either. Even Sandberg, a bad manager who was brought in as the obvious heir, was not really to blame for what he inherited.

They say every GM (or PBO) should get no more than two managerial firings, but what's funny is this is the first Phillies manager Dombrowski has actually hired directly. And Gillick never hired or fired even one.

I've heard the rule say that a GM in any sport (or POBO in baseball) usually only gets one chance before they end up on the hot seat themselves. Lee Thomas managed to get two hires (Leyva and Fregosi) before he ended up on the hot seat himself after hiring Francona (his third). After inheriting Francona, Wade's first hire was Bowa but then found himself on the hotseat and on the way out himself the year after he fired Bowa and hired Charlie. Gillick never made a change but don't forget how he placed three former managers--Jimy Williams, Davey Lopes and, for a couple of weeks, Art Howe--on the coaching staff in the offseason preceding 2007, a clear shot across Charlie's bow. Sandberg was Amaro's hire before he was doomed. Klentak had his hire in Kapler before he got fired a year after Kapler was.

[zambonir]

I think the idea of one chance stems from a different era in sports, when managers didn't get fired after just two or three years. Of course, now GMs also get fired after just two or three years.

Honestly I can't blame Dombrowski for much. The Phillies are historically a badly run organization, and they were especially badly run in the years between Gilick and Dombrowski, including Gillick's own brief second tenure. Monty's death was both an extenuating circumstance and inciting incident for the team to do better. Remember when they almost decided to go without a GM at all in 2020? Had DD not seen Nashville fall through, and had he not been a MacPhail crony, that might have still happened.

Also incredibly good luck that Middleton made a bad managerial hire (technically Klentak was still the GM when that happened) but Kapler's bench coach stuck around and proved to be a good one.

It would be interesting to see what Mattingly might do as his own man. Just as much risk to bring in any other candidate of similar age/experience. Hopefully they don't start thinking they need another guy with tons of experience. I'm not sure there are many viable candidates of Dombrowski's generation left at this point (let alone MacPhail or Gillick's).

[phillychuck]

This is kind of a desperation move. I feel bad that Topper is taking the fall for the missteps of the people over him.

The manager always pays the price, even if he didn’t run up the bill.

[zambonir]

Dombrowski press conference video

[andyb]

Bowlan activated. Hoffman back to Lehigh Valley.

[zambonir]

Be interesting to see how the running game does or doesn't change at 3B. Not that the opportunities have been there this year anyway.

[Taudawg]

Is it too early to start a Hot Stove thread?

The 6th Wild Card should require something like 85 wins. The Phillies would need to go 76-58 the rest of way. Even if this team clicks, that feels like a stretch. I'm with the masses on a few takes - I think Nola is toast, Bohm is broken, and JT is diminished. The other strugglers should recover, but it won't be enough. Only two teams in the 162 game era have made the playoffs after a 9-19 start.

[Callison]

Watching speed on the bases making a difference. Most knew and expected Crawford to show up with it. Maybe someday he'll be permitted to leadoff. OTOH, Dylan Moore seems too old to have great speed, but others know better. His recent steal of 2B may have won a game. Maybe he's on the team to fill the pinch runner role. Seems a luxury for a team looking for hitters, but the results speak for themselves.

[andyb]

Moore has been stealing bases at a 30+ yearly rate the last 2 seasons so he still has some speed even if baserunning knowledge is part of what he brings. He'll need to get a hit one of these days,, but we just don't need that last spot to do much. It was probably going to be Rojas' spot to lose before the suspension.

[RolenRules]

Phillies Designate Dylan Moore For Assignment

Just saw this....

[Callison]

Amazing just after Moore showed he really can contribute,,, though reminding everybody he can't hit.

IMHO, the Phils really want JT to call the game for Painter. For Painter, it's time to show he can summon his talent.

[allentown]

He has summoned his talent. This is really his true first year back from TJ and he needs to build stamina -- slowly, one of his problems was that Thomson kept him in the game too long. He does need to pitch more efficiently with fewer pitches per inning.

[zambonir]

This is not so much about Moore as what's become a back-up catcher issue. Marchan is younger and theoretically has more upside as a result, but he's not currently better than Stubbs. They probably don't want to expose either to waivers right now. Also gives them a LHB off the bench, or the option to use the switch-hitting Marchan as a PH. And that last guy off the bench barely plays anyway. That Moore had to play CF to get a start recently was not exactly ideal either.

[andyb]

I wonder if they'll have Stubbs play a little 3B against a tough RHP? He played 2 games there in AAA along with 2 in LF.

Long term I don't think they'll stick with 3 catchers. I wonder if this might be giving them a little more time to decide between Marchan and Stubbs for the backup job. Marchan has been historically bad at the plate. Hitting that 1 HR messed him up. I can't count the number of popups from a guy who should really spray the ball around. At least Stubbs will do that and take his walks and bunts. He'll make productive outs instead of rally killing outs.

Note Marsh has a bruised elbow apparently too. Reyes in LF today.

[zambonir]

The LHB 3B we've been missing since Clemens!

I'm sure they'll keep an eye on the wires and low-end trade market, but it's also only about seven weeks until Rojas can come back. I guess Kemp could also return, though Reyes hasn't exactly locked down his spot either.

[zambonir]

Mattingly says he wants JT to play a little less, and also he'll PH for Marchan some times

Garrett Stubbs has found himself a home, for now, on the Phillies roster

[bkox]

Alec Bohm’s parents request dismissal of lawsuit as new details emerge in...

[EDmuch]

Being able to watch Stubbs hustle around is one of the few minor pleasures that this team still provides.

[zambonir]

Too soon for a trade deadline thread?

When I saw this headline my first thought was, "well, at least nobody is going to suggest the Phillies would get him this year," but that was putting too much faith into Keith Law (or, perhaps, the Phillies, if he's right).

Mike Trout is good again. The Angels should trade him, stat.

The most obvious trade partner is the Phillies, who need help in the outfield corners and would get an immediate bump from bringing a local star (he’s from Millville, New Jersey, not too far from Philly, and is a diehard Eagles fan) back home. Their GM, Dave Dombrowski, has always loved acquiring big-name players, and isn’t afraid to trade prospects to try to boost the major-league team. The Phillies just fired manager Rob Thomson, which doesn’t exactly change their outlook for the season but does signal that they’re in win-now mode. And they can probably take on a good portion of Trout’s contract.

Philadelphia’s prospect capital for trades is thin at the moment, with Aidan Miller hurt and Andrew Painter a critical part of the major-league rotation already, but I could see the Phillies parting with one of Justin Crawford or Dante Nori, both outfielders, along with some prospects from their low minors, perhaps even right-hander Gage Wood, who is throwing well in Low A as a college product.

[andyb]

If we had not re-signed Schwarber it would have made more sense. While Trout is healthy this year, I think you need to have a flexible DH spot with him on the roster. Frankly the Trout rumors made almost more sense when he was playing poorly and the prospect price would have been much less.