Dave Dombrowski led the Boston Red Sox to a World Championship in 2018. The team won 108 games during the regular season, and handily defeated each and every one of their postseason opponents. The years that followed weren't quite as swell, and now in the year 2022, those same Red Sox find themselves at the very bottom of the American League East with a 49-49 record.
Many of the guys that played a role in Dombrowski's 2018 masterpiece season remain with the Red Sox organization today. So it stands to reason, as the Phillies prepare for their very own playoff push, that Dombrowski could be eying a few of the favored players from his former club.
One name that makes immediate sense: right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who has gone on to flourish since the Red Sox acquired him from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline in 2018.
While his fastball velocity is down a tick in 2022, the 32 year-old still boasts top-of-the-line stuff, and has hardly walked batters over his last three seasons. Eovaldi currently sits at a 4.30 ERA, and has struck out 79 batters across 75.1 innings. His minuscule 4.4 BB% ranks in the top five percent of the league this year.
Eovaldi is set to become a free agent next year, but he and Dave Dombrowski have some history in contract negotiations. The former Red Sox President of Baseball Operations signed the then-29 year-old pitcher to a four-year contract in the 2019 offseason, the same contract which is due to expire after this season. Should the Phillies look to acquire Eovaldi prior to August 2, they may aim to keep him in red pinstripes a little while longer.
Eovaldi isn't the only 2018 Red Sox veteran that could catch the Phillies' eye. Jackie Bradley Jr. could make some sense should the Phillies be looking for a plus outfield glove, and the Phillies could easily find a spot for Xander Bogaerts, should he prove available. Bogaerts, like Eovaldi, is another notable free agent come the end of the season.
The Red Sox also feature a slew of arms on the injured list that could prove helpful to the Phillies. All of Rich Hill, Michael Wacha, and Matt Strahm are slated to come off of the injured list in the coming weeks, and should carry more-than affordable price tags.
It will be very interesting to see what kind of approach the Phillies take to the trade deadline, but it will be even more interesting to see what the Red Sox do. They're entering a fascinating stage in their re-tool, and will have quite a few decisions to make as a good portion of their roster heads to free agency this winter.
If Dave Dombrowski plays his cards right, he could look to bring a member or two of one of his greatest success stories to Philadelphia, where they'll have a shot at another run at a championship.
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