Phillies Rumors: 3 moves Dave Dombrowski needs make to keep up with Mets
By Tim Boyle
The Philadelphia Phillies will need to get more aggressive to keep up with the division rival New York Mets.
The New York Mets continue to spend big money on big players. The power of Steve Cohen’s ownership knows no limit. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies are sitting there as one of the more competitive teams in the National League but looking a bit more upward than they were only about a week ago.
The addition of Trea Turner was a huge one for the Phillies. Signing Taijuan Walker was a wise addition, too.
Since the MLB Winter Meetings have ended, things have quieted down for the Phillies. The Mets continue to add. Dave Dombrowski is now on the clock. These three moves should be his next.
1. Phillies need to solidify the rotation with Chris Bassitt or Nathan Eovaldi
Carlos Rodon wants a ridiculous amount of money and an even more ridiculous number of years on his contract. It’s not a reasonable expectation to see the Phillies sign him.
Chris Bassitt and Nathan Eovaldi are far more likely to end up in Philadelphia. Each falls into the second tier of free agent starting pitchers. They’d be strong number three or four arms for the rotation.
There are some similarities between the two and some major differences. Bassitt is a workhorse who took a little longer to reach his best. Eovaldi has been around much longer yet remains a competitive bulldog on the mound. His connection to Dombrowski should make him a favorite to end up in Philadelphia as long as the price is right.
The Mets rotation is looking stellar right now with Justin Verlander, Jose Quintana, and now Kodai Senga added to it. The Phillies have one hole left wide open. They need to plug it with the best arm they can get.