As the Philadelphia Phillies head into what many consider the most critical winter in years, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski knows the pressure is on. After back-to-back postseason disappointments with largely the same core, simply running it back isn’t an option.
The club needs fresh talent, upgraded production, and a new spark if it hopes to finally return to the World Series.
One of the clearest paths to a meaningful upgrade lies at third base. Alec Bohm remains a reliable defender, but his offensive inconsistency—especially in October—has become a glaring concern. That’s why ESPN’s David Schoenfield argues the Phillies should aggressively pursue free agent Alex Bregman.
“The Phillies have basically run the same team out there the past three seasons, and it has worked! Only the Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers have more wins since 2023,” Schoenfield wrote.
“But Philadelphia also hasn’t reached a World Series in that time, and the offense hit .199 over the past two postseasons. With that in mind, it’s time for the Phillies to change things and get some new blood in the clubhouse—and Bregman brings not only a history of winning, but the attitude to reenergize things a bit.”Schoenfield believes the fit goes far beyond intangibles.
Schoenfield continued on, going more into the fit between the Phillies and Bregman.
“Signing him also makes sense for the Phillies on the field. Alec Bohm hasn’t been a good postseason hitter, with just two home runs and 14 RBIs in 38 career playoff games. He was the cleanup hitter in the NLDS against the Dodgers, despite hitting just 11 home runs in the regular season. Bregman would replace Bohm at third base and give the Phillies a more impactful hitter at the top of the lineup. If they re-sign (Kyle) Schwarber, Bregman could either hit third between Schwarber and Bryce Harper or move into the cleanup spot.”
Pairing a re-signed Kyle Schwarber with Bregman and Bryce Harper would instantly create one of baseball’s most feared power trios. Opposing pitchers would have almost no margin for error—mistakes to one slugger would simply be punished by the next.
This winter’s free-agent market offers plenty of depth across multiple positions, giving Dombrowski the tools to address the bullpen, rotation depth, and everyday lineup. Landing Bregman while retaining Schwarber and plugging the remaining holes wouldn’t just reshape the roster—it could vault Philadelphia back into the short list of legitimate World Series favorites.
If Dombrowski pulls it off, he might just become the most beloved figure in the city since the 2008 parade. For a fan base hungry for October success, that kind of bold makeover feels long overdue.
