It has been a quiet offseason for the Phillies since they re-signed Aaron Nola back in November, but Dave Dombrowski broke his silence on Wednesday morning and called in to the WIP Morning Show.
Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie covered a wide range of topics with the Phillies president of baseball operations over the 20 minutes he spent with the show including Rhys Hoskins leaving for Milwaukee and Andrew Painter's rehab from Tommy John surgery.
The entire segment is well worth the listen, but here's five takeaways from some of Dombrowski's more interesting soundbites:
1. Kyle Schwarber Will Not Be A Full-Time Outfielder
Kyle Schwarber was the Phillies everyday left fielder from the time he arrived in 2022 until September of last year, but don't expect to see him in the outfield much going forward.
"I don't mean this in a negative vein, but we think that one of the other biggest things we need to do is try to get Kyle out of left field on a regular basis," Dombrowski said. "His knees over the last couple of years, last year, he didn't run as well."
Schwarber played left field just eight times in September last year and was the team's designated hitter in all 13 playoff games.
With Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas playing left and center on an everyday basis, it seems like the Phillies are happy to limit Schwarber to spot starts in the outfield with the goal of preserving his knees.
2. The Phillies Still Want To Upgrade Their Pitching Staff
Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising quote from Dombrowski came when he admitted just how interested the Phillies were in signing Japanese phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
"Yamamoto's situation, we were very involved in that and I think people would be shocked if they find out how much money that we put on the table for him," Dombrowski said.
However, Yamamoto wasn't the only pitcher the Phillies struck out on, according to Dombrowski. The team was also interested in signing Jordan Hicks, who went to the Giants to be a starter and Robert Stephenson, who signed with the Angels near his home on the west coast.
Add it up and it seems like the Phillies would be interested in acquiring another right-handed reliever to complement Orion Kerkering, Jeff Hoffman and Seranthony Dominguez in the back of their bullpen.
3. Johan Rojas Will Get Every Opportunity To Be The Centerfielder
One of reasons the Phillies have been so quiet this offseason, according to Dombrowski, is they want to give some of the younger players on the roster more playing time, especially Johan Rojas.
"We saw enough that the last couple of months in August and September that we really like what we saw. I've talked to our hitting people at length about his progress over the winter time," Dombrowski said. He's worked extremely hard. He's made adjustments that he needs to make.
"And I'm not saying he's going to come up and hit .300 with 20 home runs right off the bat, but I think he can do enough offensively and contribute from an offensive perspective."
Dombrowski was also quick to point out it's likely Rojas becomes the team's centerfielder, but not definitive. His .302 average in the regular season was buoyed by a ridiculous .410 batting average on balls in play and he was a total liability at the plate in the postseason.
But with Bryce Harper locked in at first base and Schwarber considered a part-time outfielder at best, Rojas should get every opportunity to win the job until the trade deadline.
4. Bryce Harper Is Not Getting A Contract Extension
Scott Boras has made the rounds this offseason hinting at Bryce Harper's want for a contract extension even though there are eight years remaining on his current deal.
However, when asked about the possibility, Dombrowski bristled at the idea.
"We know he's a Phillie for eight more years and there's a lot of time to digest things," Dombrowski said. "But it's a situation where we're thrilled that he's on board and again, you can desire and want anything you would like, but I think it's also the apparent, knowing Bryce, when he gets to spring training under any circumstances, he's ready to go."
There was no chance Harper would stage a holdout and Dombrowski said multiple times he will not comment on any negotiations, but it's an interesting stance from a front office that has bent over backward to appease Harper in the past.
5. Andrew Painter Won't Pitch Until 2025
This wasn't too surprising, given the team's stance on Andrew Painter immediately following his surgery last season, but Dombrowski did seem pleased with how the young pitcher's rehab has been going.
"He right now he's where he needs to be, but he's just tossing at this point, which is where he should be," the president said. "I don't really look for Andrew to pitch this year. I'm looking towards 2025. I guess you can always be surprised, but I don't want to put that pressure on him."
While that statement does leave the door open for a possible 2024 return, it's worth remembering Painter will still be only 22 years old on Opening Day 2025.