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Dave Dombrowski Struck Again at MLB Trade Deadline To Put Phillies in Great Position

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 5:25 PM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies knew that they had to address their bullpen and add some outfield depth ahead of the MLB trade deadline if they wanted to remain among the top contenders in the game.

The bullpen has been a sore spot all year with their offseason additions of Jordan Romano, Carlos Hernandez and Joe Ross not panning out.

Add to that their closer, Jose Alvarado, being suspended for 80 games and ineligible for the postseason, and it was as pressing a need as any contender in baseball.

Their outfield situation has been a bit messy all season, with free agent addition Max Kepler not providing the kind of impact they were hoping for. Center fielder Brandon Marsh has recovered from a slow start, but moving him to left field would strengthen the team.

The pressure was on Dave Dombrowski to step up and knock it out of the park just as he has done so many times previously.

Just as he did all of those times, in 2025, he delivered once again.

The Phillies acquired center fielder Harrison Bader and closer Jhoan Duran in separate deals from the Minnesota Twins ahead of the MLB trade deadline and signed veteran relief pitcher David Robertson in free agency.

Just like that, the Phillies' biggest needs were addressed, with Chad Jennings of The Athletic (subscription required) summing up the franchise’s deadline in one word: “Dombrowski.”

“Why would we ever expect anything else? Dombrowski knew what he wanted and went after it,” Jennings wrote as part of this week’s MLB power rankings.

Dave Dombrowski Turns Phillies Weakness into Strength

Philadelphia is certainly hoping that the aggressiveness of its president of baseball operations pays off similarly to how things played out 10 years ago when he was overseeing the Boston Red Sox.

Similarly to when he boldly announced what the Phillies were seeking ahead of the deadline this year, he called his shot with the Red Sox.

Dombrowski stated he wanted a front-end starter, closer and fourth outfielder. All three holes were filled with David Price, Craig Kimbrel and Chris Young.

Duran, Robertson and Bader can certainly have a similar impact down the stretch as the trio Dombrowski added to Boston all those years ago.

Their bullpen will be settled with two established veterans now anchoring the unit, taking pressure off Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering and allowing them to operate earlier in the game.

Bader provides the team with an elite defensive center fielder and the much-needed right-handed bat they coveted.

Most importantly, Dombrowski accomplished this all while keeping star prospects Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller and Justin Crawford in the fold.

A masterclass indeed for the Philadelphia executive.