Latest news with #Dombrowski
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies Urged to Solve 'Desperate' Bullpen Need By Trading For Pirates' Dennis Santana
Phillies Urged to Solve 'Desperate' Bullpen Need By Trading For Pirates' Dennis Santana originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Phillies have a clear need at the trade deadline: improve their bullpen. Whether it's in the form of multiple arms that can round out the entire bullpen or an elite arm to take over the closer role, the Phillies need to make a move there. Advertisement Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report wrote that the Phillies' most "desperate" need is their bullpen, specifically a high-leverage arm. That high-leverage arm is something the Phillies have needed for some time. "Dombrowski has largely resisted utilizing major resources on the bullpen during his time leading the Philadelphia front office," Kelly writes. "But if the team wants to emerge from a deep National League this October, that's going to have to change." While adding a Felix Bautista or Emmanuel Clase might be challenging, the Phillies could target a journeyman reliever on the Pittsburgh Pirates who would be a nice addition to the current crop of relievers in Philadelphia. Pirates reliever Dennis Santana was one of the names Kelly mentioned as a potential fit for the Phillies. He's in the middle of his second season with the Pirates after joining them partway through the 2024 season. He's been incredible during that time. Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski during Phillies Alumni Weekend and the 20th anniversary of Citizens Bank Park before the game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Hartline-Imagn Images He's played with four teams in his career before joining the Pirates, and in Pittsburgh, he's been at his best. Santana has a 2.09 ERA in 73 games for the Pirates since the 2024 season. His best pitching has come in 2025, where he's making a case to be an All-Star. Advertisement Santana has a 1.62 ERA in 33.1 innings of work, with 26 strikeouts and five walks in his 34 appearances in 2025. He's accumulated 1.6 WAR, which is more than the rest of his seven-year MLB career combined. While he hasn't worked out elsewhere, the Pirates reliever has found success at age 28, and now at 29, is thriving in Pittsburgh. There may be some concern if he switches teams again, but his record pitching in Pennsylvania is great. Santana is under team control through 2026 and will be fairly cheap then as well. The Phillies adding Santana would be a more realistic option for the team searching for a reliever if Dombrowski doesn't want to spend a ton on one. Related: Phillies Linked to All-Star Orioles Closer Amid Desperate Bullpen Need Related: Phillies Predicted to Target 2.06 ERA Reliever to Replace Jordan Romano This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Miami Herald
21-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
JetBlue is pulling out of the Miami airport, but will remain at FLL. See details
JetBlue Airways will halt service at Miami International Airport, the airline said on Saturday. The Long Island City-based carrier cited poor financial performance. JetBlue has a small footprint at MIA, with one or two daily flights between MIA and Boston. But 'to free aircraft for new routes, we've recently made the decision to end a small number of unprofitable flights including between Boston and Miami,' Derek Dombrowski, director of corporate communications, said in an email statement sent to the Miami Herald. The changes are effective Sept. 3, he said. Travelers booked on cancelled flights 'will have the option to fly via Fort Lauderdale or receive a full refund to their original form of payment,' Dombrowski said. The move was a business decision. 'We continually evaluate how our network is performing and make changes as needed,' Dombrowski said. JetBlue informed MIA of the changes on Friday, Greg Chin, communications director for Miami-Dade Aviation Department, said in a phone call with the Miami Herald on Saturday. He didn't elaborate on other details. JetBlue's Fort Lauderdale presence JetBlue will continue to fly to Boston from nearby Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as well as West Palm Beach, Dombrowski said. The airline has a strong presence at FLL. In 2024, JetBlue served about 6.8 million passengers at FLL, down 2.1% from 2023 but still the second largest carrier at that airport, only behind Spirit. It carried 19% of all travelers to and from the Broward County airport. This year, JetBlue remains FLL's second largest carrier. Through April 30, the airline had 2.2 million passengers, even though that's down 6% from the same period in 2024. In 2021, to make a larger bet on South Florida as the COVID-19 pandemic was still in full force, JetBlue expanded at MIA, adding as many as 14 daily flights, including as many as four times a day to Boston. The airline also added direct flights between MIA and New York-JFK, Newark, Los Angeles and Hartford. Since then, JetBlue has scaled back service in Miami due to falling demand. It was also slowed down by the 2024 ruling of a federal judge in Massachusetts that blocked an attempted merger with Broward-based Spirit, citing anti-competitive laws. On Saturday, JetBlue had a total of two arrivals at MIA, each one from Boston, according to the airport's flight tracker. And it had one departure, also to Boston.
New York Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Phillies MLB trade deadline primer: 3 early storylines to watch
There is an absolute in the years since Dave Dombrowski assumed control of the Phillies, and that is an active trade deadline. He has engineered 12 deadline trades in four years. He acquired two players — Brandon Marsh and Edmundo Sosa — at the 2022 deadline who are still on his roster. He's obtained others — Ian Kennedy, Rodolfo Castro and Austin Hays — who left less of a mark on the Phillies. Advertisement Dombrowski figures to be active again come July; these Phillies are in deep with a $305 million payroll. They still have flaws. The Phillies entered this season attempting to strike a difficult balance; they did not sign a free agent to a multi-year contract over the offseason, and resisted trading their best prospects. This, then, was a bridge year. The Phillies are trying to win, but without sacrificing everything. It makes this a fascinating deadline for Dombrowski, who has to issue a referendum on this roster's chances for a World Series title. Dombrowski has never been afraid to flip middle-tier prospects in July trades. He has protected his best farmhands at previous deadlines. The Phillies went deep into trade talks last summer with the Chicago White Sox regarding Garrett Crochet, a deal that would have required surrendering a massive prospect package. Those talks fizzled. There might not be a player of Crochet's caliber available at this year's July 31 deadline. Even if there is, Dombrowski has made Andrew Painter untouchable. Other prospects might have since ascended to that status. Here's a primer on what to monitor in the weeks ahead. It's no secret the Phillies will look to fortify their bullpen. It is a familiar need. The Phillies searched for bullpen help at the 2022 and 2024 trade deadlines; they went with 'proven veteran' types like David Robertson and Carlos Estévez. Under Dombrowski, the Phillies have targeted velocity when building a bullpen. They had the hardest-throwing bullpen in baseball in 2023 and the third-hardest in 2024. They've dipped to sixth in 2025 — that includes José Alvarado's high-powered fastballs from earlier this season. They could be hunting in July for more velocity. Dombrowski will go into this trade deadline knowing he'll have Alvarado, suspended by MLB until Aug. 18, for the season's final six weeks. The lefty is ineligible for the postseason if the Phillies qualify. They do not know how effective Alvarado will be upon his return, but that adds a layer to Dombrowski's decision-making. Advertisement So does this: The Phillies might have a surplus of starting pitching, depending on Aaron Nola's health and Andrew Painter's ascension, which could bump some starters to the bullpen in August or September. This matters too: This year's postseason schedule calls for an extra off day during the National League Division Series, which means a team would need only three starters in a five-game series. So a bullpen acquisition at the trade deadline has to be more than a marginal one; the Phillies might not be looking for someone to help them reach October, rather someone who can be trusted to pitch in high-leverage postseason situations. That is a high bar. Whether that pitcher becomes available or the Phillies decide to meet the price remains to be seen. Here lies, yet again, another festering problem. The Phillies entertained an outfield addition at the 2023 trade deadline, but opted to stick with Johan Rojas in center and Brandon Marsh in left. They plucked Hays from the Baltimore Orioles last July, only to see that transaction flop when Hays suffered myriad injuries. They tried another marginal addition over the offseason by signing Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million deal. The outfield free-agent market has not borne much fruit: Anthony Santander, Tyler O'Neill, Michael Conforto and Jurickson Profar (suspended) have all struggled for various reasons. The only free-agent outfielder from the middle class who has produced, Harrison Bader, is having his best season in years. The Phillies made a bet on Kepler as a bounce-back candidate. They have hidden him against lefties through a platoon, yet Kepler is a below-average hitter overall in 2025. He's played an average left field. If the Phillies want an outfield reinforcement in July, they might have to think creatively again. Many contenders are seeking a right-handed bat. Left field, at least in the past, would be a logical place to stick one. Advertisement The Phillies entered the week tied for 25th in home runs by right-handed hitters. They've averaged 102 homers from righties over the past four seasons. They are on pace for 64 in 2025. The last time they did not have a righty who bashed 20 homers in a season (excluding 2020) was 2015. Slugging numbers are down across the sport, rendering any available power hitter a hot commodity. Some teams could simply double down on pitching and defense. The Phillies have one of the worst defensive outfields in baseball. If they cannot obtain power, maybe they rearrange things to optimize for defense. This qualifies as a good problem for the Phillies to solve, considering how much Mick Abel's stock has risen following a forgettable 2024 season. He's pitched with conviction in the majors. He has emerged as a more confident strike-thrower; it is a transformation that could entice other clubs. Abel, for now, is crucial rotation depth because Nola could be sidelined through the All-Star break. At that point, if Nola is ready, Abel would probably return to the minors. Sometime in July, the Phillies expect Andrew Painter to factor into their rotation plans. That would bump Abel even further down the depth chart. If the Phillies retain Abel, he'd still be on the outside of an initial 2026 rotation projection. The Phillies have Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Nola under contract, with Jesús Luzardo and Painter under club control. All of this must factor into the calculus the Phillies use in assessing Abel's place in the organization. Should the Phillies believe Abel's transformation merits a longer look, they could toy with the idea of him as a reliever for the stretch run, then revisit things in the offseason. The Phillies will receive calls on Aroon Escobar, a stocky infielder who hits the ball hard. The 20-year-old Venezuelan generated interest among clubs at last year's trade deadline despite being sidelined by persistent shin splints. Eduardo Tait, a big-bodied catcher who does not turn 19 until August, is a potential trade chip. Rival evaluators have questioned whether Tait sticks behind the plate, but that is not a universal opinion. The job requirements for a big-league catcher could be drastically different by the time Tait reaches the majors. (Top photo of Dave Dombrowski: Eric Hartline / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies' Dave Dombrowski Blasted for Mishandling Jeff Hoffman Negotiations
Former Philadelphia Phillies closer Jeff Hoffman has thrown the baseball at a high level for the Toronto Blue Jays in the early parts of the campaign. Currently owning a 1.46 ERA and striking out 18 hitters in 12.1 innings, Hoffman would've been the perfect arm for this Phillies team. Instead, Philadelphia allowed him to walk. Despite some of the injury concerns he faced during the offseason, signing with the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves before physicals blew up the deal, he clearly looks healthy right now. Advertisement Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Dave Dombrowski admitted that the Phillies attempted everything in their power to sign the right-hander to a new deal in the offseason. After earning his first All-Star nod during the 2024 campaign, finishing the year with a 2.17 ERA, bringing Hoffman back seemed to be the right idea. While he struggled in the second half and the postseason, that might've been more of a coaching issue than anything else. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images 'We tried to sign Hoffman, very aggressively, right?' Dombrowski said Wednesday, per The Athletic. 'They turned down our offer, and he ended up signing. At the time, he was still looking for more dollars. And then we had to make a decision on Romano or somebody else. And we just didn't feel we were going to match the dollars that he was looking to get at that time. But we were very aggressive in trying to sign him." Advertisement Despite Dombrowski's comments, Matt Gelb of The Athletic later reported that league sources said Dombrowski's framing of the situation isn't exactly how it played out, as the team wanted relievers on one-year deals. "League sources familiar with the Hoffman negotiations disagreed with Dombrowski's framing of how it unfolded. Not long into the offseason, the Phillies had signaled to agents they were interested in relievers who would come on one-year deals. The Phillies believed that Hoffman would price himself out of the team's range, as Dombrowski alluded." They got just that with Romano, who is currently playing on a one-year, $8.5 million contract. Related: Phillies Get Good News on No. 7 MLB Prospect Andrew Painter
CBS News
24-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Kody Clemens wins final bench spot on Phillies' opening day roster, Dave Dombrowski says
While nothing is official yet, the Philadelphia Phillies' 2025 opening-day roster appears to be set. Kody Clemens beat out Buddy Kennedy for the club's final bench spot, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday. Dombrowski said the Phillies have informed Clemens, the son of former MLB star pitcher Roger Clemens, that he's made the team. "We've always liked Kody Clemens. We think he's a big-league player," Dombrowski told reporters Monday. "I have to say, like anybody else, if there was the right trade interest, we would have been open-minded to it." Dombrowski said after talking with manager Rob Thomson, the club determined to keep Clemens over Kennedy despite the latter's perceived advantage of being a right-handed hitter. Clemens will add another left-handed hitter to an already lefty-heavy lineup. "The basic reality is that [Thomson] thought he wasn't really going to use Buddy very much early in the season anyway," He wasn't going to use him to pinch hit for some of the guys that we have." Clemens, 28, has played 90 games with the Phillies since coming over from the Detroit Tigers in a trade in the winter of 2022. Last season, the utility player hit .219/.258/.447 with five home runs and 18 RBIs. The Phillies plan on giving lefties Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler an opportunity to play every day. Johan Rojas will be the club's fourth outfielder and play when Marsh or Kepler have a day off. Dombrowski said that infielder Edmundo Sosa is also an outfield option after getting reps in during spring training. Here's what the Phils' opening day roster appears to be. We'll update it once it's finalized and official. Catcher: J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchán Infield: Alec Bohm, Bryce Harper, Edmundo Sosa, Bryson Stott, Trea Turner, Kody Clemens Outfield: Nick Castellanos, Max Kepler, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas DH: Kyle Schwarber Starting pitchers: Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez, Taijuan Walker, Zack Wheeler Relievers: José Alvarado, Tanner Banks, Carlos Hernández, Orion Kerkering, Jordan Romano, Joe Ross, José Ruiz, Matt Strahm Injured list: Ranger Suarez
