It goes against every fiber of Dave Dombrowski's being to hoard prospects. At least, that's the Dombrwoski Tigers fans grew familiar with during his time in Detroit, when he build a perennial World Series contender. The same can be said for his tenure with the Phillies – when Dombrowski is tasked with taking a big swing, he is not afraid to do so. However, when it came to then-White Sox ace Garrett Crochet, Dombrowski and Phillies ownership got cold feet, as owner John Middleton explained this week.
Crochet, now dominating as the Boston Red Sox All-Star ace, did come with some red flags. First, he has a complicated injury history. Second, he hadn't thrown over 146 innings in his career. Prior to last season, his career-high was 54 innings. The Phillies, like any team hoping to acquire Crochet, had to wonder if he could take the wear and tear of a full season leading a pitching staff. He has since proven those doubts wrong, and the Red Sox right for taking such a swing.
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Why did the Phillies trade for Garrett Crochet?
Per Middleton, the Phillies put together a nice prospect package to land Crochet, but Dombrowski ultimately felt uncomfortable giving in to the White Sox demands.
"We made a spectacularly good offer," Middleton said. "So good that Dave looked at me at one point and said, 'I don't know that I should be doing this.' And he said, 'You know what, I'm ambivalent. If they take the deal, great. If they don't take the deal, great. I'm really happy with keeping the guys we were gonna give them.' And that's the way I was."
The Phillies starting pitching will not be their downfall if they fail to make a World Series run this season, or if their window shuts prematurely. The likes of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Jesus Luzardo, Ranger Suarez and Christopher Sanchez aren't going anywhere.
Phillies risk closing their World Series window too early
However, one can only wonder how much more dominant that staff would be with Crochet included as well. It'll be a classic 'what if' should the Phillies fall short in the postseason again.
Philadelphia's most prominent needs are in the bullpen and outfield. Nick Castellanos should not be starting in right field, and Johan Rojas ought to be off the roster entirely. The bullpen, which was supposed to be headlined by addition Jordan Romano, hasn't played up to par, which could come back to bite the Phillies in October yet again.
It's unclear what the White Sox asking price was for Crochet when the Phillies were in talks with them, but holding on to prospects under the assumption they'll live up to the hype also comes with inherited risks. The Phillies want to keep their World Series window open as long as possible, and hoarding young talent is a proven way to ensure it closes sooner than expected.