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The MLB All-Star break allowed the Philadelphia Phillies (55-41) to regroup after a rough West Coast trip that saw them lose a series each to the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres, but beyond that, the time off also afforded management a chance to thoroughly assess its roster. When Dave Dombrowski is left to his imagination, fireworks are bound to ensue.
The Phillies president of baseball operations is 68 years old and has two World Series rings and an incredibly compelling case for the Hall of Fame. In other words, the man has nothing left to prove and little still to accomplish. Nevertheless, his appetite for championship success remains ravenous. Winning in one of the most high-pressure environments in sports is what longtime executives live for, and Dealin' Dave is determined to complete that mission in 2025.
If history has told us anything, it is that Dombrowski will use the MLB trade deadline to strengthen his team's title ambitions. One trusted sportswriter thinks that fans should stay on alert going into July 31.
What will Phillies do?
“I think he has this sense about his team that with the right move or moves they can win the World Series,” Jayson Stark of The Athletic told Erik Kratz on the “Foul Territory” podcast. “I ran into a guy in Atlanta who has talked to Dave, and he thinks Dave is geared up to do something huge. He's got his prospect chips ready to go.”
Stark also revealed what is probably on the top of the executive's wish list for this deadline. “His ideal trade is the Twins for Byron Buxton and Jhoan Duran,” he said. “That's not going to happen. The Twins aren't going to do that, but that's what I think Dave would do in an ideal world. Give up a ton of prospects for a big bat, a huge arm and two guys he can control beyond this year.”
The Minnesota Twins (47-49) are only four games out of the third and final American League Wild Card slot, so it is hard to see them unloading two of their top assets. Dombrowski is obviously willing to do business with someone, though. He has invested substantial sums of money to assemble possibly the best starting pitching rotation in baseball today and will likely spend a bit more to fix the club's weak spots.
Someone told Jayson Stark that Dave Dombrowski is “geared up to do something huge.” pic.twitter.com/z330qc5A2n
— John Foley (@2008Philz) July 18, 2025
Dombrowski may have to deliver a vintage Dealin' Dave trade deadline
Philadelphia's bullpen is untrustworthy as usual and its lineup is uneven. With the New York Mets breathing down the Phillies' neck in the National League East, and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs both posing fierce threats, upgrades might be essential.
That is all Dave Dombrowski needs to hear. He has less than two weeks to find the right deal. If he fails, the city will inevitably become restless. Because, as rewarding as it is to win in Philly, it is equally brutal to lose in Philly.
The Phillies begin the second half of their 2025 campaign at home against the Los Angeles Angels (47-49) on Friday night.
