The Phillies this week acknowledged that they have decided not to exercise an option year on manager Joe Girardi's contract for 2023.
The interesting move essentially leaves the veteran manager on a one-year deal for next season, setting up a potential "lame duck" situation where the stakes are even higher for a manager perceived to have less job security.
Asked about the scenario this week, Phillies president Dave Dombrowski said he didn't have much concern about it because he expects an established manager like Girardi will "handle it very well."
“Not with someone with the stature of Joe Girardi,” Dombrowski told reporters on Wednesday, per NBC Sports Philly. “He’s been a big-league manager for a long time. I don’t think that’s an issue for him. I know it’s not. We’ve had some discussions and I’ve had many managers go into the last year of their contract. In fact, I got to the end with Jim Leyland, where that’s all he wanted. One year at a time. So, no I don’t think so. I think he’ll handle it very well.”
The veteran baseball executive also took exception to the framing of a lame duck situation, because Girardi is owed buyout money if the Phillies don't exercise his option.
“If you don’t pick it up, you’re paying some extra money,” Dombrowski said. “So there is a little bit different scenario if you were going to say lame duck, per se, because there is a financial inducement to that.”
Girardi signed a three-year deal with the Phillies after the 2019 season, following a 10-year run with the Yankees that included a World Series win over the Phillies in 2009.
The Phillies are two games under .500 in Girardi's two seasons at the helm. This season, they finished in second place in the NL East at 82-80.
While Dombrowski stopped short of giving a Girardi a full-throated endorsement, he said the longtime manager did a "good job" for the Phils in 2021. Girardi was hired by former general manager Matt Klentak, who was succeeded by Dombrowski last offseason. Dombrowski has since hired Sam Fuld as GM.
The Phillies have struggled to find an identity after the powerhouse teams of the late aughts. Their 10-year postseason drought is now the longest in the National League.
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