Phillies President Reiterates Confidence in 2026 Roster, Despite Losing Bo Bichette
Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski has expressed his contentment with the current roster, saying that the team is "moving in toward a deal for what we think are our core needs." However, those plans were derailed when the Mets swooped in and signed star free-agent infielder Bo Bichette to a shorter, more lucrative contract.
The loss of Bichette was a "gut punch," according to Dombrowski, but one that the Phillies are moving on from. Despite this setback, Dombrowski remains optimistic about the team's chances in 2026, saying that he likes the current club and believes they have a good chance of success.
The Phillies have made some key moves to shore up their roster, including re-signing veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto to another three-year deal. This move helped maintain the core of the team from the past few seasons.
While Dombrowski acknowledged that there may be some remaining free agents on the radar, such as outfielder Cody Bellinger and left-handed starter Framber Valdez, it's unlikely that the Phillies will make any significant additions at this point.
Instead, the focus is on getting the most out of the players already on hand. The team has re-signed Kyle Schwarber, who was one of their top bats, and brought in Adolis García to fill a void in right field. While García is a gamble, Dombrowski expressed confidence that he can bounce back or at least serve as a suitable replacement for Nick Castellanos.
The Phillies are also exploring the possibility of promoting prospect Justin Crawford to take an everyday outfield spot this spring. However, there's uncertainty surrounding whether Crawford will be able to fill the void immediately.
Despite these challenges, Dombrowski remains optimistic about the team's prospects. "We have a good club," he said, citing his confidence in the team's core players and the potential for growth through prospect development. With a roster that's mostly set, the Phillies are looking to make do with what they have and build from there.
The team's offseason is essentially complete, and it's unlikely that any major moves will be made at this point. As Dombrowski said, "That's what we try to do all the time, and again, they don't always become this public."
Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski has expressed his contentment with the current roster, saying that the team is "moving in toward a deal for what we think are our core needs." However, those plans were derailed when the Mets swooped in and signed star free-agent infielder Bo Bichette to a shorter, more lucrative contract.
The loss of Bichette was a "gut punch," according to Dombrowski, but one that the Phillies are moving on from. Despite this setback, Dombrowski remains optimistic about the team's chances in 2026, saying that he likes the current club and believes they have a good chance of success.
The Phillies have made some key moves to shore up their roster, including re-signing veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto to another three-year deal. This move helped maintain the core of the team from the past few seasons.
While Dombrowski acknowledged that there may be some remaining free agents on the radar, such as outfielder Cody Bellinger and left-handed starter Framber Valdez, it's unlikely that the Phillies will make any significant additions at this point.
Instead, the focus is on getting the most out of the players already on hand. The team has re-signed Kyle Schwarber, who was one of their top bats, and brought in Adolis García to fill a void in right field. While García is a gamble, Dombrowski expressed confidence that he can bounce back or at least serve as a suitable replacement for Nick Castellanos.
The Phillies are also exploring the possibility of promoting prospect Justin Crawford to take an everyday outfield spot this spring. However, there's uncertainty surrounding whether Crawford will be able to fill the void immediately.
Despite these challenges, Dombrowski remains optimistic about the team's prospects. "We have a good club," he said, citing his confidence in the team's core players and the potential for growth through prospect development. With a roster that's mostly set, the Phillies are looking to make do with what they have and build from there.
The team's offseason is essentially complete, and it's unlikely that any major moves will be made at this point. As Dombrowski said, "That's what we try to do all the time, and again, they don't always become this public."
. the phillies have some solid pieces already in place like realmuto and schwarber, and adolis garcia might just work out 
. they're trying to build from within too which is dope 
. i'm still excited for the 2026 season though, even with a few holes 
I'm literally livin' for drama right now 
. Can't believe they let Bichette slip through their fingers like that 
. Dombrowski's gotta be shakin' in his boots thinkin' about makin' moves without Bichette on board 
. I'm still tryna wrap my head around this 
. Dombrowski's optimism's just gonna make me more anxious, lol 
. What if they screw up again? 
i mean dont get me wrong bichette leaving was def a blow but i trust dombrowski to make moves that'll put us in contention again. i also cant wait to see schwarber and García rock it on the field 
. Dombrowski always says he doesnt want 2 make moves 4 the sake of making moves lol but idk about that 
anyway cant wait for next yr 
You know what's wild? We spend so much time trying to get the perfect roster, but it turns out that's kinda like chasing a unicorn - it'll never really happen. The thing is, as long as you're good with who you've got and you're willing to put in the work to develop those young players (like Justin Crawford), you can still make some magic happen on the field.
It's all about making the most of what you've got and being okay with not having everything figured out from day one. I think that's a valuable lesson, especially if you're talking to young athletes or just anyone trying to navigate life's ups and downs.
I mean, losing Bo Bichette is huge, but at least they re-signed J.T. Realmuto, idk if that's enough to make up for it tho... 
and have you seen the numbers on Adolis García's ERA last year? 
I'm not holding my breath for that guy to live up to his hype...
. Dombrowski's confidence in the team is cool, but it feels like they're just trying to make do with what they have instead of actually making a push for the playoffs 
. Still, I'm curious to see how Justin Crawford fills in at outfield 
. Can't wait to see if they can make some noise next season 
they've got a solid core with realmuto, schwarber, and now García filling in some holes 
the key is for them to gel as a unit and make the most of their existing talent 
It sounds like Dombrowski is trying to make do with what they have, but I'm not convinced that this roster can compete in 2026. The Phillies need some real upgrades if they want to stay in the mix. 
but then i remembered that i just got a new plant that needs watering every week 
. But for real though, Philly fans gotta be kinda bummed right now. On the bright side, they've got some solid pieces on their roster, and Dombrowski seems to know what he's doing (for once). Kyle Schwarber is back and Adolis García might just be the answer to their outfield prayers 
. But let's be real, without Bichette, they're gonna need some serious magic to go all the way...
. Now we just gotta see how it all plays out on the field this year! 
️
re-signing J.T. Realmuto was a huge win and Kyle Schwarber's back for more 
and Adolis García might not be the best fit but he'll do 
& adolis garcia might just b the real deal