The Philadelphia Phillies have a big offseason ahead of them, but right now, the direction of the franchise is a bit unclear. The organization has moved slowly since reassigning general manager Matt Klentak in October, and there are no indications that anyone has been interviewed as a possible replacement.
According to Jayson Stark of The Athletic, the Phillies are prioritizing the hiring of a president of baseball operations. One fellow executive said the team wants to “make a splash” with the hiring of a star executive who would bring “instant credibility” to the organization. If that effort falls short, there is a secondary list of rising front office names the team could target.
It’s not clear which names the Phillies are targeting. Stark cites the likes of Cleveland Indians president Chris Antonetti and Oakland A’s general manager David Forst as the type of names that may interest them.
Whoever takes over the Phillies’ front office has a lot of work today. The primary issue will be making a decision on free agent catcher J.T. Realmuto. That decision will have a lot to do with keeping a certain star happy.
