In December 2020, when the Philadelphia Phillies hired Dave Dombrowski, he brought October baseball back to Philadelphia after 2011. Since then, the Phillies have earned postseason berths every year. But the World Series title has remained out of reach, and part of the blame falls on Dombrowski, too, for not building a championship-caliber roster. As the Phillies recorded another early postseason exit, an analyst thinks Dombrowski’s time in Philadelphia has come to an end.

“I think he is not returning. I think John Middleton understands the pulse of this city, and right here, right now, he is weighing his options on how he—I gotta say it straight, come on—how he can move forward without Dave Dombrowski,” said Sean Brace on 97.5 The Fanatic.

“I just feel like the cards are lining up because we have yet to hear from him. This would have been a great week to do so. So I think John Middleton is now laying the groundwork on moving forward without Dave Dombrowski.”

But the Phillies’ latest moves suggest otherwise.

The Phillies initially offered a contract extension to Dombrowski in 2022, and he is signed through the 2027 season. However, the Phillies are reportedly going to offer the 70-year-old executive another extension.

But the radio host does not think Dombrowski will return in 2027. According to Brace, principal owner John Middleton’s silence ahead of the offseason is indicative enough.

At the beginning of the season, Dombrowski fired Rob Thomson after the Phillies posted a 9-19 record and brought Don Mattingly in to turn the season around. But firing the manager alone is not going to cut it; Dombrowski must be held accountable as well.

This season, the Philadelphia Phillies secured a playoff berth on the last day of the regular season after defeating the Rays. Then, the Atlanta Braves ended the Phillies’ postseason run in the Wild Card Series by beating the Phillies 2-1.

Ever since Dombrowski helped the Phillies reach the 2022 World Series, the Phillies’ offseason success has been going downward. After the 2022 World Series appearance, Philadelphia’s playoff run lasted till the NLCS in 2023. In the previous two years, the results declined even more. In 2024 and 2025, the Phillies went home after losing the division series. They have fallen another step down with a Wild Card-round exit this year.

While signing Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Zack Wheeler during his early years with the Phillies has been fruitful for the president of baseball operations, running almost the same roster back every year is unlikely to help the Phillies win a World Series. While Wheeler (3.00 ERA) and Schwarber maintained their impact on the team, the same cannot be said for the shortstop.

Trea Turner, who posted a .347 BA and homered thrice in his first postseason appearance for the Phillies, went 1-for-11 in the Wild Card Series against the Braves.

Furthermore, the core Dombrowski established in the lineup is no longer young. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Trea Turner are all 33 years old.

Moreover, Dombrowski’s free agent acquisitions in the last few years have not recorded the expected level of success. Nick Castellanos, Max Kepler, Whit Merrifield, and Adolis Garcia, all acquired during free agency, posted a collective 0.4 WAR, per the Philly Voice. Across seven seasons, the Phillies spent $128 million behind them.

On top of that, there is also Trea Turner, who is signed to a massive 11-year, $300 million contract. The contract runs through the 2033 season, and after recording 21 errors at shortstop, the fans want him gone. But the Phillies will likely be unable to trade him due to his massive contract.

Not only Turner, but Bryce Harper is also under a 13-year, $330 million contract that runs through 2031.

The burden of huge veteran contracts has weighed on the Phillies, and many are holding Dombrowski accountable. If John Middleton also agrees, then the veteran executive may not return in the 2027 season.