Since the start of the 2023 season, Seranthony Domínguez had posted a 4.19 ERA in 95 appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies. He had increasingly struggled to control his game. It had become clear in recent weeks that the Phillies probably couldn’t trust him to be a high-leverage option in a World Series run, and that his $8 million option for 2025 was almost certainly going to be declined.
So it’s no surprise that the Phillies traded Dominguez on Friday, trading him and outfielder Cristian Pache to the Baltimore Orioles in a deal that brought back outfielder Austin Hays. It’s a trade that makes sense for both sides, and one that could get even more interesting if the two teams ultimately meet in the World Series.
Meanwhile, Dominguez was the second-longest tenured player on the Phillies team and had been part of some special moments.
He began his career as a 23-year-old rookie in 2018 and immediately became the top reliever in manager Gabe Kapler’s bullpen, posting a 2.95 ERA in 53 games.
A potential Tommy John surgery cost him parts of three seasons between 2019 and 2021, but Domínguez returned with authority in 2022, pitching to a 3.00 ERA in 54 games. He went 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in nine appearances in the 2022 postseason, with he and José Alvarado serving as key cogs for a team that made a surprise run to the World Series.
Before Friday’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians, several key figures in the Phillies organization paid tribute to Domínguez, who made 230 appearances for the club over six seasons.
Bryce Harper, Dominguez’s teammate from 2019 to 2024
“I remember the best memories, the 2022 and 2023 playoff numbers. I mean, it’s pretty special what he did for us those two years. (He) kind of carried the bullpen in 2022 and did his thing. He came into this organization and was one of the guys here. But he made that move and got a good player back.”
Aaron Nola, teammate with Domínguez from 2018 to 2024
“Oh man, I played with Ser for a long time. He was a good teammate, man. It’s tough to see guys go, but it’s tough to see guys you played with for a while get traded and leave the team and the organization. He played in a lot of games, a lot of games. big games for us. It’s tough, man.
“I hope he stays healthy. I know he had those two years where he had Tommy John surgery and things like that. But he came back strong, really strong. And his arm is sorer than it’s ever been, I feel like. So let’s pray that he stays healthy, obviously for the rest of his career, but the whole season, and that he’s good for their bullpen.”
Zack Wheeler, Dominguez’s teammate from 2021 to 2024
“He was here for a while, he’s been through the ups and downs. It was always cool to see those guys, you know him, and Rhys and Noles… to see them win here. It’s a special place to win. He’s played in some big games for us the last few years and been a good teammate. So overall, I think he’s done really well here. It’s a tough place to play and he’s always seemed to have that same mindset, that same drive. He’s going to go to another good team there, and hopefully he’ll do a good job and finish his career, whenever he does, on a good note.”
Rob Thomson, bench coach/manager of Domínguez from 2018 to 2024
“Well, Seranthony, when he came in, he was a very efficient guy that you could really count on. And unfortunately, he got hurt. Seranthony is a hard-working guy that cares a lot about this organization. He gave us a lot of really good innings.
This year, it’s a little hit and miss. I’ve said all year that as long as he’s moving the ball in the zone, he’s going to get people out. And I think he’s going to do that again. And when he does, he’s going to get people out. So I think he might need a little bit of a reset, maybe a new frame for him. I think this ends up being a really good trade for both clubs.
Dave Dombrowski, President of Baseball Operations
“Seranthony has been a great pitcher for us. We like him a lot. He’s done a lot for the organization. He’s been a Phillies player since Day 1. So it wasn’t easy. But we have some depth in the bullpen, even though people keep asking if we’re still going to get help. But we felt like in order to get a right-handed hitter, we had to give up something. I talked to the Orioles a couple of weeks ago and one of the things they talked about was if they were going to trade one of their outfielders, they should be able to get a big-league ready bullpen guy. So it was something that, as we talked, made sense to us. But it was tough for us to do, but we feel like we have some depth in that bullpen.”
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