Dave Dombrowski could redeem himself with one obvious Phillies OF trade

Philadelphia Phillies fans hoping that Dave Dombrowski would operate with a sense of urgency after the team was knocked out of the postseason in the NLDS by their division rivals were disappointed to see the president of baseball operations admit that the team was unlikely to pursue any big-name free agents.

This stance, after Jordan Romano and Max Kepler are the only players that Dombrowski has added thus far, is an extremely disappointing one. It feels as if the Phillies are going to run things back with just a couple of minor changes.

While Dombrowski was clear as can be on the subject of big names, the offseason is far from over. Prices involving big names in the free agency and trade markets can fluctuate at any given moment. If the right price presents itself, it'd be foolish for Dombrowski not to pounce.

From what Ken Rosenthal had to say in his latest article for The Athletic ($), it sounds like Dombrowski has a golden opportunity in front of him involving a Luis Robert Jr. trade.

"For Robert, the White Sox do not expect to receive multiple top prospects, but would want a “meaningful piece” in return, a source said."

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Dave Dombrowski can turn Phillies offseason around by acquiring Luis Robert Jr.

All the Chicago White Sox want for Luis Robert is one "meaningful piece." They don't expect multiple top prospects. Unless the White Sox insisted on that "meaningful piece" being Andrew Painter, would Dombrowski really not try to get something done?

Robert is coming off a down year, and has an extensive injury history, but his upside doesn't compare to any available hitter on the open market. We saw that in 2023.

That season saw Robert post a .857 OPS in 145 games, hit 38 home runs, steal 20 bases, make the All-Star team, and win a Silver Slugger. Robert also happens to be a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center field.

Was that an outlier season for Robert? Perhaps, but he has the tools to put up those gaudy numbers if he can stay healthy. It'd be a bit of a risk for Philadelphia to trade for him, which can be a bit frustrating following the Kepler and Romano gambles, but if it only costs one meaningful piece, why not go for it? A change of scenery might be what Robert needs to live up to his MVP-caliber potential.

Robert is the kind of needle-mover who can help Philadelphia get over the hump. We know they're good enough to get to the postseason, but breaking through in October is an even bigger challenge. If they're unwilling to spend big, they should be willing to trade one prospect for a player with Robert's ceiling if they're serious about winning right now.