Dave Dombrowski officially has no excuse not to land Kyle Tucker

The Philadelphia Phillies need to start doing stuff. We are three days into the Winter Meetings and even deeper into the offseason. Juan Soto passed them by, which, fine; that was inevitable. But Garrett Crochet? Nathan Eovaldi? These are viable options flying off the board, leaving Dave Dombrowski in the dust.

To his credit, Dombrowski did pull off a highly intriguing buy-low signing of Jordan Romano, who could end up spearheading the Phillies' late-relief efforts next season. That is a major addition, but Philadelphia also stands to lose Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez. So, one step forward, two steps back. That can't be the theme of this offseason.

A more aggressive trade deadline might've put Philly in the World Series. Now is the time for Dombrowski to right past wrongs and deliver the goods. Bryce Harper isn't getting younger. The New York Mets obviously just got better with Juan Soto. The Atlanta Braves are going to be healthier next season. Outside the division, nobody wants to face the full-strength Los Angeles Dodgers. Philadelphia is losing ground at an alarming rate.

This is a very good team, but fans expect greatness — whether it costs $200 million annually or $400 million annually. As such, the sudden availability of Houston Astros All-Star Kyle Tucker has caught the special attention of Philadelphians. He'd be the perfect solution to the Phillies' outfield woes. The question is, will Dombrowski get the job done?

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Phillies are an obvious fit for Kyle Tucker — and the perfect Astros trade partner

The Astros are known to be targeting MLB-ready corner infielders and pitchers in a potential Tucker trade — presumably those with multiple years of team control and bright futures. Well, gosh darn it, guess what? The Phillies can offer both in spades.

It's easiest to point at Alec Bohm and Ranger Suarez as potential conversation-starters on the trade front, while top prospects Andrew Painter and Aidan Miller could both fill that void sooner than later for Houston. Philadelphia does not have the deepest farm system, but its talent pool is more or less concentrated at the exact positions the Astros are prioritizing.

Bohm is an especially great fit for the Astros, at least on paper. He can slide in at first base, or replace Alex Bregman at third base, if need be. He struggled down the stretch of last season, but Bohm was an All-Star and an extra-base machine with a reasonably healthy .779 OPS. His flexibility, age and affordable contract would all benefit an Astros team looking to reorient its future.

Now, just because the Phillies should take the plunge and commit whatever funds are necessary to keep Tucker around next winter, that does not mean the Phillies will acquire the 27-year-old World Series champ. Tucker's contract expires at season's end and bidding is sure to ascend to comical heights after Juan Soto's record-breaking $765 million contract. There is speculation that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could get north of $500 million next winter. Tucker might be able to play in that same sandbox.

Philadelphia, in a perfect world, prioritizes dubs over dollar signs. John Middleton has historically been willing to foot the bill for star-level talent, assuming it leads to wins on the field. Something appears to be changing that calculus right now, though. Maybe Philadelphia has finally maxed out its credit card. Whatever the case may be, Dombrowski's latest comments do not bode well for those hoping Kyle Tucker dons a Phillies uniform in 2025.

Saving money or hand-wringing over team control is not an excuse, though. Trading for Tucker would increase the odds of him signing a long-term deal in Philadelphia next winter. This is a matter of willpower, not capacity, and Philadelphia might not have the willpower — the ambition — to get this over the finish line.