While Philadelphia Phillies fans still try to process the team's shocking elimination at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is looking towards another crucial MLB offseason.
He addressed the free agency status of Aaron Nola as well as the contract situation of fellow ace Zack Wheeler. Though, he also made it clear that if the plan falls through, the front office is ready to enact a firm contingency plan.
“A few takeaways from Dombrowski press conference: -Said Nola is the priority and if he signs elsewhere, finding top-end starting pitching to replace him is a priority -No question they want to extend Wheeler (FA after 2024) -Johan Rojas will have to earn the everyday CF job,” NBC Sports Philadelphia's Corey Seidman reported Thursday.
Although the Phillies' offense is a big reason why they did not close out the National League Championship Series, there is not much to tweak in a lineup replete with star power. Rojas, who hit just .093 in the playoffs, will have to prove his regular season production (.302 batting average in 59 games) is no fluke in order to lock down center field.
The main focus, though, is bound to be on Nola and Wheeler. The former struggled for much of the year but was once again trustworthy in October, while the latter continues to be one of the most dominant postseason pitchers of his time. Dombrowski is always committed to building a World Series-caliber roster, and a stout starting rotation is a major component of those aspirations.
If the Phillies lose the Aaron Nola bidding war, then talents like Jordan Montgomery and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will presumably be in their sights. After how the NLCS ended, however, bolstering the bullpen should also be near the top of Dave Dombrowski's winter agenda.
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