The Philadelphia Phillies didn’t get the playoff results they hoped for. Despite making the playoffs as the final NL wild-card team, the Atlanta Braves knocked them out in three games.
One of the many issues for the Phillies was an older, underperforming roster. They seemed to run out of gas down the stretch, and that continued into the wild-card round.
Their World Series window is slim, and they may not have many more October runs in them, which is what makes this postseason effort so disappointing.
One man who needs his share of criticism for the Phillies’ mishaps is General Manager Dave Dombrowski. He was hired as the Phillies GM in December 2020 and has helped the team reach the playoffs in five straight seasons, but has no championships to show for it.
Dombrowski has spent a lot of money on this roster, and many of their high-priced players did not show up in the postseason. As a result, many Phillies fans are calling for Dombrowski to be fired.
But MLB analyst Bob Nightengale said the Phillies will likely extend Dombrowski’s contract this offseason. According to 97.5 The Fanatic, Nightengale said, “Dave Dombrowski’s coming back; in fact, he’ll get an extension sometime this winter.”
Dave Dombrowski WILL Receive A Contract Extension & A Life Time Contract Has Been Offered Per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale
#Phillies ⚾ | @JonMarksMedia 🎙️ https://t.co/ZyWhlbDzfX
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) October 6, 2026
The Good and Bad of Dombrowski
It is hard to be excited about this if you are a Phillies fan. Dombrowski has made a few good moves, like trading for Jesus Luzardo and Jhoan Duran and re-signing Kyle Schwarber.
However, he has made similarly bad moves that can be attributed to a lack of playoff success. He signed Trea Turner to a massive contract, which looks like a disaster now. The same goes for the Aaron Nola and J.T. Realmuto deals.
Not to mention, the three players he acquired at this season’s trade deadline did not make the playoff roster. Luis Arraez, Brooks Raley, and Caleb Kilian all missed the postseason roster—Arraez due to injury, but the other two due to poor play.
Ultimately, the Phillies were nowhere near good enough this season. For that reason, Dombrowski should face plenty of pressure to make significant changes this offseason.
MLB Analyst Expects Extension for Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski