Phillies Miss On Two More Targets As Devin Williams, Kyle Tucker Acquired in Trades

Two more potential targets for the Philadelphia Phillies have come off the board, this time via trade as star closer Devin Williams and superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker go elsewhere.

Oct 10, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski watches a team workout for the NLDS at Truist Park / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

What is going on with the Philadelphia Phillies?

That is the question fans have to be asking right now as the offseason continues to roll on and the front office has done the exact opposite of what was expected from them heading into the winter.

Predicted to be one of the most aggressive teams with a massive need to upgrade areas on their roster, the Phillies have only made one move, bringing in reliever Jordan Romano who was injured for the better part of this past campaign.

Meanwhile, other contenders around the league are pushing their chips into the center of the table.

After winning the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers handed out a deal to Blake Snell. The New York Mets made history by making Juan Soto the highest-paid athlete in sports history. The Boston Red Sox threw their hat into the ring when they landed Garrett Crochet. The New York Yankees picked themselves up after losing Soto and gave Max Fried the most money for a left-handed pitcher ever.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia is sitting back and watching things happen.

They came out of the Winter Meetings with virtually nothing, only connected in more rumors surrounding certain players on their current roster with nothing to show for it.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski stated he wished they had done more, which was certainly frustrating for fans to hear since he's in control of doing more, but nonetheless, he had some other opportunities to pull off the major move that is expected this offseason.

Yet, once again, the Phillies sat on the sidelines as star closer Devin Williams was traded to the Yankees and the Chicago Cubs pulled off a blockbuster deal to acquire superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker.

The two things Philadelphia needed to upgrade this winter?

That's right, bullpen and the outfield.

Not only would these two players be perfect solutions for the Phillies, but they also have been connected to them in the past and were seen as real options if they were to become available.

They got their wish, but they still weren't able to get something done.

It wasn't a lack of trying for Tucker, as they apparently had their trade offer of Nick Castellanos and Alec Bohm turned down by the Houston Astros, but considering what both players were acquired for, it's head-scratching why Philadelphia wasn't more aggressive.

First, Williams went to New York for Nestor Cortes, prospect Caleb Durbin who was outside their top 20 per Baseball America, and cash considerations.

While the star closer is a one-year rental, that wasn't exactly a tough compensation package to match for the Phillies.

Tucker is the one that likely will upset fans the most.

The Cubs traded away Isaac Paredes, their No. 7 prospect Cam Smith, who ranks 73rd out of the top 100, and pitcher Hayden Wesneski.

Again, that is something Philadelphia could and should have matched.

Put together a package that features Bohm in the Paredes spot since both are one-time All-Stars and have two or more years of club control remaining, and then figure out who the Astros would have wanted in the other spots.

Staryln Caba and Mick Abel, their No. 4 and No. 6 prospects, might have gotten this done when packaged with Bohm if offered, and maybe it was and that information just hasn't come out yet, but this is still a bad look for Dombrowski.

The Phillies are falling behind in the arms race, and the executive who has a reputation of being aggressive is doing nothing more so far than just sitting back and seeing players who could upgrade this roster get scooped up by other teams.

Philadelphia needs to make some noise, and they have to do it soon.