Of all the Major League Baseball teams left fighting for a World Series title this season, one could argue the Philadelphia Phillies are under the most pressure.
After losing in the Fall Classic in 2022 and the National League Championship Series in 2023, the Phillies have proven they have what it takes to win it all. But they haven't quite finished the job, and even the greatest rosters only get a few chances to seal the deal.
With superstars like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Zack Wheeler, and Aaron Nola all entering their 30s, it feels like the clock is ticking on this current Phillies core. But perception outside the organization is one thing. How about the perception inside the Phillies front office?
According to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies aren't staring at the hourglass when it comes to winning a title.
Dombrowski spoke with reporters on Tuesday as the Phillies gear up for their first-round playoff series, and gave a surprisingly relaxed answer when asked about whether he feels a "sense of urgency" to win it all this year.
“No, I don’t. First of all, I don’t feel like our window’s closing. I keep hearing that. But I think what happens is, sometimes it closes with the current players you have. But that doesn’t mean it closes overall," Dombrowski said, per Paul Hagen of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
“We have young players coming we really like. We also have ownership that’s very kind to us with our expenditures on payroll. So what you’re ideally trying to do, as some players age, some of their skills diminish. That’s just a fact. Some at different paces, but what you need to do is have young players come in in the meantime. And we think we have some really good young players coming in."
For the first time under the new playoff rules, the Phillies earned a first-round bye, and won't begin their playoff run until the Division Series on Saturday. If they can somehow manage to win 11 more games, they will achieve baseball immortality.
But Dombrowski believes whether or not they get it done this season, they will have lots of other opportunities in years to come. Whether he's telling the truth will be left up to the passage of time.
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