Latest news with #DaveDombrowski
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Phillies' Nick Castellanos says benching, remark to manager Rob Thomson is behind him
MIAMI — Amid season-long defensive struggles, including being lifted from right field in the eighth on Monday and a benching on Tuesday, Nick Castellanos came to Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies president of baseball operations, with a request. 'I told Dave to start giving me a packet with all my numbers, so I can understand it,' Castellanos said. 'That way I can know how to be competitive with it.' Advertisement The advanced metrics agree: Castellanos is among MLB's worst outfielders. He ranks last in the league with minus 8 outs above average. He is third-worst in the league with minus 10 defensive runs saved. Defensive concerns prompted Phillies manager Rob Thomson to lift Castellanos against the Marlins on Monday, bringing in Johan Rojas — whom Thomson called an 'elite defender.' Castellanos, unhappy with the decision, said he 'spoke his mind' to Thomson, who told the right fielder that he'd crossed a line. Thomson benched Castellanos on Tuesday for the comment, ending his streak of 236 straight starts — the second-longest active streak in MLB and the longest Phillies streak since Pete Rose. Thomson, prior to Wednesday's game, said he felt the situation with Castellanos was 'gone.' Castellanos said Thursday that he also felt it was behind him. 'We're two grown men that show up every day for work with a common goal of winning a World Series,' Castellanos said. 'If everybody just agrees on everything and doesn't speak their mind, there's not going to be passion. Emotions drive people, especially passionate people. To think that there's going to be eight months of consistently being together and not butting heads at all — it probably doesn't happen, right?' Thomson said removing Castellanos once more could be on the table going forward. Would Castellanos understand if it happened again? 'Yeah,' he said. 'It's not my decision.' Castellanos, 33, was granted a day at DH last weekend to keep him in the lineup but get him off his feet. It also kept his starting streak alive. Now that it's over, Castellanos said he is not more inclined to take a day off. 'I've always been open to taking a full day off if I needed it,' he said. The only change to Castellanos' routine, perhaps, is trying to better understand defensive metrics. Starting Sunday, Dombrowski said the Phillies will present Castellanos metrics at the end of each trip — 'all the types of defensive metrics that we look at all the time.' Advertisement Castellanos, however, isn't interested in evaluating his play. 'I don't know,' Castellanos said. 'It's not for me. I just go out there and play. It's for everybody else.' Defense remains a concern. But Castellanos' return to right field Wednesday might have saved the Phillies' win. He hunted down a fly-ball that, off the bat, looked like it could have been out of the park. It would have been a walk-off for the Marlins, who had two runners on and were down two runs. Castellanos made the catch near the wall, lifted his shirt in celebration and joined the handshake line as the Phillies won 4-2. 'It's an amazing game, isn't it?' Thomson said. 'I'm so happy for him.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pressure Mounts at MLB Trade Deadline for Phillies' Dave Dombrowski
Pressure Mounts at MLB Trade Deadline for Phillies' Dave Dombrowski originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Phillies have won four straight post-Bryce Harper's most recent wrist injury, placing them solidly in contention as a team ready to "buy" at the MLB trade deadline. Advertisement Before, they were nine games above .500, but a team that was at risk of sliding and becoming "sellers" at the deadline. With a solid footing beneath them as the sixth-best record in baseball, ESPN's Buster Olney believes Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is under serious pressure at the deadline. "The Phillies need bullpen help, just as they did last season, and Dombrowski will need to augment that group before the deadline," Olney said. Former Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski during Phillies Alumni Weekend and the 20th anniversary of Citizens Bank Park before game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Hartline-Imagn Images The reason for the pressure? An aging core of star position players and two starting pitchers who are in their prime. "With Bryce Harper in year seven of the 13-year deal he signed and Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto in the last years of their respective contracts. The team's window is now," Olney says. Advertisement That leaves questions around what Philadelphia will have to do to bolster its bullpen. Could top pitching prospect Andrew Painter, who reached Triple-A early this season, be a candidate for promotion? Or will he instead become a trade piece along with the much-rumored Alec Bohm? Olney's not sure who goes in a deal to improve the major league roster. A source of his who knows Dombrowski believes the pressure is something the veteran executive is used to, indicating a move is inevitable. "'He's been through this plenty of times before,' one of his peers said. 'He'll make deals. He always does,'" Olney writes. Related: Phillies Reportedly Among Most Active Teams Leading up to MLB Trade Deadline This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies Finally Expected to Cut Ties With Brandon Marsh, Per Insider
Phillies Finally Expected to Cut Ties With Brandon Marsh, Per Insider originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Phillies have some major decisions to make at the trade deadline. After months of the team performing at a somewhat decent level, but not great, there are a few ways they could improve. Advertisement Ultimately, the Phillies need a center fielder, and if Dave Dombrowski doesn't find one now, it's tough to say he ever will. And according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, that'll be the Phillies' biggest focus at the deadline. He questioned if fans think the Phillies want to find a center fielder, adding that they have a .609 OPS as a group, which would be the worst in the history of the Phillies at the position. 'You think the Phillies would love to find a center fielder at the deadline?' asked Nightengale. 'Their center fielders have a .609 OPS, which would rank the lowest at the position in franchise history.' Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (16) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Ross-Imagn Images Brandon Marsh and others who the Phillies put out in center haven't done the job. Advertisement The Phillies have attempted to use multiple players at the position in recent years, but haven't answered the questions many have about them. Marsh is currently hitting .254 with just two home runs. While he's a decent defender, he seems to be the one who'll be the odd man out. It remains uncertain if the Phillies would send him in a deal to another team, as he's a decent professional who could find at-bats elsewhere. Still, it's tough to imagine a scenario where any team wants him too much. Regardless of that situation, the Phillies have a need for a centerfielder, and Dombrowski owes it to this fan base to find one. Related: Phillies Urged to Make Decision on Brandon Marsh Replacement This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber Expected to Hit Free Agency After 2025 Season
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber Expected to Hit Free Agency After 2025 Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the best designated hitters in baseball, and he's in the final year of his current deal. Kyle Schwarber, at 32 years old, is in the middle of an incredible 2025 season with the Phillies. Advertisement In the final year of his deal, Phillies fans have been clamoring for Dave Dombrowski and the front office to work out an extension with Schwarber. However, after a new report from John Kincaid of 975 The Fanatic, the possibility of an in-season extension looks bleak. 97.5 The Fanatic shared Kincaid's report on X, with the bad news for Phillies fans that Schwarber is expected to hit free agency. "I believe they are letting Schwarber go to free agency," Kincaid said. "I do not expect that Schwarber is going to be signed before the end of the year. From what I was told, they gave an offer. The offer was not embarrassing, but it was, 'yeah, that's not getting it done.'" Advertisement Losing Schwarber in free agency is a massive fear of all Phillies fans. With his power, a considerable part of the Phillies' offense over the past few seasons, there is little reason why Schwarber shouldn't be on the roster going forward. Even if he is only a designated hitter, his offensive upside is too high to let walk in free agency for nothing. Schwarber leaving the Phillies would be a terrible outcome, regardless of how far they make it in the postseason. Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Chicago Cubs in the third inning at Citizens Bank Ross-Imagn Images Part of why Schwarber has been a tough re-sign candidate is due to how great he's been offensively. In 2025, Schwarber is batting .247 with a very strong .923 OPS. Advertisement Across his 259 at-bats, Schwarber has 64 hits, 51 runs scored, nine doubles, one triple, 22 home runs, 52 RBIs, 51 walks, and 82 strikeouts. His offensive production from the designated hitter spot has been incredible for the Phillies, and he's on track to surpass his previous three years with the Phillies. In Philadelphia, Schwarber has hit 153 home runs across three and a half seasons. If he walks, the Phillies would be losing one of the best power hitters and pure batters in the game for nothing. Just letting Schwarber hit free agency is a risky outcome for the Phillies, as Schwarber could easily get a huge payday elsewhere. Kincaid's report is a concerning one, but there's still hope that Schwarber comes back, as the two sides aren't completely apart on a deal. Related: Phillies Reportedly Among Most Active Teams Leading up to MLB Trade Deadline Related: Phillies Trade Idea Sends Alec Bohm to AL Contender for Ideal Return This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Phillies Predicted to Cut Ties With Breakout Rookie After Ugly Start
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Philadelphia Phillies suffered another loss on Tuesday after briefly ending a five-game losing streak. And after this latest defeat, the Phillies are suddenly facing some significant roster questions with the trade deadline just a few weeks away. Without Bryce Harper in the lineup, it seems clear the team needs some kind of offensive reinforcement, likely for the outfield. After late-inning relief struggles for Taijuan Walker, the team is even more sure to seek some bullpen help. And after breakout rookie Mick Abel came back to earth with an ugly start, the team has been predicted to make a drastic change with the rotation. In his first two big-league starts, Abel went more than 11 innings while giving up just one run. But on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs, he gave up three solo home runs and three walks in just four innings. "Unless there's an injury to a starting pitcher, as currently with Aaron Nola, the Phillies do not have room to include Abel in their starting rotation regularly," Matt Grazel wrote for FanSided, predicting that Abel has sealed his "trade deadline fate" with the team. "This is the unfortunate cost of doing business for playoff-contending organizations such as the Phillies at the trade deadline." PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 08: President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski of the Philadelphia Phillies talks to the media during the introductory press conference for Trea Turner at Citizens Bank Park on December 8, 2022... PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 08: President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski of the Philadelphia Phillies talks to the media during the introductory press conference for Trea Turner at Citizens Bank Park on December 8, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by) More Leff/Getty After an unfortunate injury setback, the Phillies could be without Nola until after the All-Star break. But that might not change the reality for Abel, who could be supplanted from the rotation by top-ranked prospect Andrew Painter at some point this season. Given the Phillies' relative depth in the rotation and the team's clear need for an outfield upgrade and extra bullpen arms, Abel could be an intriguing yet expendable trade chip for the organization. As a result, his latest start could be one of his last with the Phillies. More MLB: Red Sox Predicted to Land $34 Million Slugger in Blockbuster Trade With NL Contender
