The Philadelphia Phillies front office is being led by Dave Dombrowski , who currently holds the position of president of baseball operations.
His contract runs through 2027, but there have already been reports that the Phillies would like this partnership to continue . Essentially, it will be up to Dombrowski whether he wants to stay in his position, because decision-makers want to retain him for as long as he is willing to work.
Because of his expected extension, another member of the front office has emerged as a target for the Athletics , according to sources who spoke to Patrick Mooney and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required): Sam Fuld. Currently the president of business operations, he also held the title of general manager for Philadelphia under Dombrowski from 2021 through 2024. Since then, he has assumed a smaller role in baseball operations.
With the Phillies since 2017, Fuld began his off-field career with a unique arrangement. He was a Major League coach before transitioning to the team's front office, working under Dombrowski.
Feb 25, 2024; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general manager Sam Fuld talk in the dugout before a game against the New York Yankees at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Knowing he had a bright future in baseball as a front office person, with aspirations of one day possibly running a franchise himself, Fuld earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.
Fuld spent parts of eight seasons in the Major Leagues as an outfielder, playing in 598 games and producing a .227/.307/.325 slash line with a bWAR of 5.1. In 2014 and 2015, he played for the Athletics, while they were still in Oakland.
A graduate of Stanford, along with his MBA, he is certainly a qualified candidate for the head executive position to lead the Athletics as they prepare for their move to Las Vegas. Given his combination of playing experience, education and the front office experience he has gained in the last few years, Fuld is a strong candidate.
Alas, he is far from the only person who is under consideration. According to Mooney and Rosenthal, Jared Banner, the general manager of the Chicago Cubs, is also part of the search. St. Louis Cardinals assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio has interviewed with the Athletics, but an in-house promotion could keep him with the Cardinals.
Milwaukee Brewers assistant general manager Matt Kleine and Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Taylor Smith are both reportedly part of the candidate pool, according to other sources of Mooney and Rosenthal.
A decision from the Athletics is expected to come sometime this week. If they go with Fuld, there will be a sizable void to fill in the Phillies' front office, adding to the to-do list of Dombrowski's this offseason.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/phillies/onsi as Phillies Executive in Running To Lead Athletics Operations .
