ANDY MACPHAIL

This screengrab from a Zoom call shows David Dombrowski, the Philadelphia Phillies' new president of baseball operations, during a Zoom call Friday, Dec. 11, 2020. (Zoom via AP)Dave Dombrowski wants to win again sooner rather than later. So he finalized a deal Friday to become the Philadelphia Phillies’ president of baseball operations, convinced the team is not far from its first World Series title since 2008. Phillies president Andy MacPhail called again Saturday, and Dombrowski said he was told of the nebulous expansion timetable by MLB on Monday and Tuesday. “It was John reaching out and really trying to make me part of the Phillies organization,” Dombrowski said.

His next challenging project: a Philadelphia Phillies team that's gone nine years without a winning record. Dombrowski is set to join the Phillies as president of baseball operations, according to two people familiar with the decision. He said in October he would be willing to step aside sooner to make way for a new baseball operations boss. The 64-year-old Dombrowski has led baseball operations for four teams over more than three decades in the majors, taking a trio of franchises to the World Series. He joined the Red Sox as president of baseball operations the following August and made a number of key acquisitions — including ace Chris Sale, slugger J.D.

Klentak stepped down after a third straight September collapse left the team out of the postseason for the ninth consecutive season. “We’ve made progress but we haven’t made enough progress fast enough,” Phillies managing partner John Middleton said. Klentak was hired in October 2015 by team President Andy MacPhail after serving as assistant general manager for the Los Angeles Angels for four seasons. The Phillies had the worst bullpen ERA in the majors this season and it didn't improve after Klentak acquired four veterans in trades. The Phillies went 161-163 under Kapler before Middleton overruled Klentak and MacPhail and fired him last year.