Could the Phillies make a run at baseball executive Theo Epstein after 2021?

The Philadelphia Phillies could be in line to snag a future Hall of Fame executive in 2021.

When the Philadelphia Phillies finally announced that they would be moving on from general manager Matt Klentak, a lot of questions quickly popped up. Would the team begin their new GM search right away? What would Andy MacPhail’s role be moving forward? Would the organization target another analytic-savvy Ivy League mind, or steer towards a more old school baseball head like Dave Dombrowski?

Not every loose end was answered, but owner John Middleton did give a brief glimpse into his thought process during his Saturday press conference. One of the things that stuck out to me the most was the fact that Middleton did not commit to the team landing a new GM in 2021.

Former assistant GM Ned Rice is the current interim general manager, and it sounded like he could very well hold that title for an entire calendar year before the team appoints a full-time guy.

More from Section 215

• 4 Eagles on the Bubble Who Have Clinched Their 53-Man Roster Spots
• Best Pennsylvania Sportsbook Promos: Win $650 GUARANTEED Bonus PLUS $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket
• 3 Punters the Eagles Must Target to Replace Arryn Siposs
• Cowboys Trey Lance Trade Proves How Screwed They Are With Dak Prescott
• Devon Allen Took Britain Covey’s Job on Eagles

Waiting until 2022 to search for a new baseball executive is important for one major reason, it’s the year in which Theo Epstein’s contract with the Chicago Cubs runs out. Epstein and Chicago ownership haven’t been the best of pals in recent years, and it appears a divorce between the two will occur once his current deal wraps up, regardless of what happens during next year’s regular season.

In case you aren’t familiar with Epstein and what he’s accomplished in major league baseball, he’s essentially the greatest curse breaker of all curse breakers. Hired as the youngest GM in baseball history in 2002 (28 years old), it took Epstein no longer than two seasons to end the Boston Red Sox’ 86 year World Series drought.

Less than 15 years later and Epstein found himself ending yet another historic baseball drought, guiding the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series win in 108 years. Epstein isn’t even 50 years old yet, and he’s essentially already locked himself into the Hall of Fame with these two iconic achievements.

There are some drawbacks to Epstein as a GM/President of Baseball Operations, as he usually leaves a team in a less than ideal spot following his departure. However, considering the Philadelphia Phillies current position, with Bryce Harper being smack in the middle of his prime, having a “win now” type of mind running the show might be exactly what the doctor ordered.

Epstein is currently the President of Baseball Operations in Chicago (not the GM), and he would likely command a similar role in Philly. Current Phillies President Andy MacPhail will see his contract end in 2022 as well, making the timeline for all of this even more convenient.

The Philadelphia Phillies could be waltzing into the 2022 offseason without a GM or a President of Baseball Operations, and Epstein could be without a baseball team altogether. It could very well be a match made in heaven, and would explain exactly why Middleton was so vague in his answers on the front office makeup moving forward.

If the Philadelphia Phillies don’t pull the trigger on adding a GM this winter, pivoting towards the longterm plan of bringing in Epstein appears to be the logical move. He might not set this team up for decades worth of dominance, but he would almost definitely help the Phillies end their own respective postseason drought.