Philadelphia Phillies: Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations; Sam Fuld, vice president and general manager. Grade: C.
Even though the Phillies fell one game short of a repeat World Series appearance, the front office must have felt pretty secure with the team’s 2024 outlook. Since the end of the 2023 postseason, Dombrowski and Fuld have made only 11 personnel moves impacting the team’s roster, easily the fewest of any MLB front office.
Two factors make it easy to look past that inactivity. The first is that Dombrowski and Fuld finished first in the final 2023 front office rating, having improved that team by nearly 14 games. The second factor is the reality that the Phillies arguably have baseball’s best team. As this is written, no club has more wins.
From a name standpoint, the front office’s biggest move was the re-signing of rotation stalwart Aaron Nola through 2030. Nola’s 9-3, 3.39 first half justifies the signing, at least in the short term, even though that only reduces to a +0.6 WAA.
The signing of utility pitcher Spencer Turnbull (3-0, 2.66 in 17 appearances, seven of them starts) got a lot less attention, but statistically at +0.6 it has been as meaningful.
The only personnel loss of significance involved Rhys Hoskins who, following an injury-aborted 2023, signed with Milwaukee. At -0.9 WAA for the Brewers, Hoskins – who would be playing behind Bryce Harper -- hasn’t been missed.
Score: +0.7. Grade: C.