Five years can be an eternity when it comes to Major League Baseball. Anything and everything can happen, even championship squads can entirely crumble, just like the Boston Red Sox. Exactly around this week, five years ago, the Red Sox made a shocking decision to part ways with Dave Dombrowski, their president of baseball operations. This changed the entire way their team moved forward, and it was a shocking decision for many. Shocking because this decision came just a year after Dave Dombrowski put together possibly one of the best teams in the organization’s history.

A team that won 108 games and even clenched the World Series title. But because of a philosophical rift between him and the Red Sox ownership, this decision came to be. Later Chaim Bloom took his place, but he faced challenges immediately after he traded Mookie Betts away, a fan favorite! His stint with the team lasted only a while and Craig Breslow took over the reins. This week marks the fifth anniversary of Dombrowski’s firing and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale took to Twitter to unapologetically call out the Red Sox for their plausible blunder.

Did the Red Sox make a mistake?

The team that Dave Dombrowski created and the squad now, there is a huge difference. He built a championship-winning squad, the Red Sox today are on the brink of missing the playoffs. Meanwhile, guess who’s thriving? Dombrowski’s Philadelphia Phillies, are now in contention for the playoffs, for the third consecutive season. Bob Nightengale called out the Red Sox, highlighting this on X saying, “Five years ago today, the Boston Red Sox fired Dave Dombrowski. The Red Sox, 76-67 at the time, were 370-259, with three division titles and a World Series championship in four years under Dombrowski. Since the Dombrowski firing, the Red Sox are 352-356 with three last-place finishes. Meanwhile, the Phillies will be in the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive season since they hired Dombrowski.”

Well, no one knows how things may have actually turned out if Dave Dombrowski stayed back. His strategies were great, but there is no window of doubt that he often spent big money. This was an aspect that the Red Sox were planning to hold back on. In 2019, Boston had the biggest payroll, standing at $222 million. And today they fall 11th standing at $130 million behind the New York Mets. The Mets had spent $307 million to build a team that gets them to the post-season. 

Moreover, Dombrowski, on his final off-season with the Red Sox, gave multiple hefty contract extensions to pitchers like Chris Hale and Nathan Eovaldi. This decision led to the team possibly not being able to keep Mookie Betts. And as far as if it was a great decision to let go of Dombrowski or not for Boston? Well, looking at the Phillies’ success over the seasons, it’s not hard to form a decision.

Could the Phillies win it all?

The Philadelphia Phillies are on fire this season, and it’s not by chance. One of their biggest strength has been their depth and their consistency throughout their starting pitchers. Each night, it feels like they are sending out a starter who can do anything to shut down the opponent—no matter who it is. They have stars like Zack Wheeler, a Cy Young Award, and Aaron Nola, a solid number two. Plus Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez are also in the mix. 

These guys aren’t just performing like inning eaters, they are also winning the games. MLB writer Bob Nightengale said, “The Phillies have won 31 consecutive games in which the starting pitcher completes at least seven innings, the second-longest streak in baseball history behind only the 1942 St. Louis Cardinals’ (42).” 

The Phillies are leading the charge with five complete games and are tied with the Atlanta Braves for the most shutouts of the season – 14! ESPN gave the Phillies a whopping 99% chance to be able to lock in for that postseason. They are presently sitting seven games clear of the Mets and are close to the Dodgers, almost neck to neck, both at 88-57. Further, deep rotation is what could help the team get the upper hand over the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

The competition is turning up to be stellar and the battle to the finish will be nail-biting for sure. Do you think the Phillies can match it up to the Dodgers and possibly make it not just to the playoffs, but even win the World Series? The Red Sox seem to be getting the bitter end of the deal after firing Dave Dombrowski; so, share your thoughts on this.