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Philadelphia Phillies: Dave Dombrowski’s history of win-now trades

By George Stockburger

FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 17: Chris Sale #41 talks with Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox during a team workout on February 17, 2017 at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 17: Chris Sale #41 talks with Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox during a team workout on February 17, 2017 at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – JANUARY 26: Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch hands a Tigers hat to Prince Fielder while Tigers President, CEO and General Manager Dave Dombrowski looks on during the press conference to announce Fielder’s 9 year contract with the Tigers at Comerica Park on January 26, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – JANUARY 26: Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch hands a Tigers hat to Prince Fielder while Tigers President, CEO and General Manager Dave Dombrowski looks on during the press conference to announce Fielder’s 9 year contract with the Tigers at Comerica Park on January 26, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Dave Dombrowski would make several franchise-altering trades for Detroit.

The Tigers largely remained in contention through the middle of Dombrowski’s tenure, reaching the ALCS in three consecutive years and losing the 2012 World Series to San Francisco. Detroit’s success hinged on the acquisition of several players during this time as Dombrowski pulled as many trades possible to keep them in contention.

On December 9, 2009, Dombrowski traded outfielder Curtis Granderson to the Yankees and Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks for Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth.

Granderson turned out to be a productive outfield bat with 344 career home runs, but once again, Dombrowski got the best of this trade. Scherzer turned into an ace in Detroit, winning his first of three Cy Young awards in 2013 with a league-high 21 wins. He’d win 82 games in Detroit before leaving in free agency, setting his legacy with the Washington Nationals by winning two more Cy Youngs and a World Series.

Dombrowski kept tinkering, trading star first baseman and recent free agent acquisition Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for Ian Kinsler prior to the 2014 season. Fielder had a massive contract but was limited to being a designated hitter, plus Kinsler was an above-average infielder with pop and a good glove.

That offseason Dombrowski also traded Doug Fister, acquiring future All-Star Robbie Ray and two other players.

While pushing to for a return to the Fall Classic, Dombrowski would trade prospects and young players whose names are very familiar to baseball fans today: Willy Adames, Jose Alvarez, Steve Lombardozzi, Corey Knebel, Austin Jackson, Drew Smyly, and Jake Thompson (yes, that Jake Thompson).

In return for those players, Dombrowski added shortstops Andrew Romine and Alex Gonzalez, reliever Joakim Soria, and Rays ace David Price.

The 2014 Price deal was another blockbuster that included top prospect Willy Adames in a three-team deal. Price had won a Cy Young in Tampa Bay and was ready to move into a bigger market where he could compete for a title every year. Dombrowski thought Price could bulk up the playoff rotation alongside Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, and Anibal Sanchez, a rotation that many teams would trade the farm for today.

This deal ultimately did not work out for Detroit and set off the beginning of perpetual losing.

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