The Philadelphia Phillies entered the offseason expecting plenty of questions about their roster, their next manager and the future of their championship window.

Now another major question has emerged behind the scenes.

Could the Phillies lose one of the most important executives in their organization?

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Athletics have identified Phillies president of business operations Sam Fuld as a leading candidate for their vacant head of baseball operations position.

Fuld’s potential departure would be significant because he is not simply another executive in Philadelphia’s front office. He has played an important role in the Phillies’ baseball operations structure and could eventually become a central figure in the organization’s succession plan.

With Dave Dombrowski’s future also becoming a major offseason storyline, the Phillies could be approaching a pivotal moment for the way the organization is run.

SAM FULD’S CONNECTION TO THE PHILLIES RUNS DEEP

Fuld’s path to the Phillies’ front office is unusual.

Before becoming an executive, he was a major league player who spent time with the Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians and Oakland Athletics.

After his playing career ended, Fuld transitioned into baseball operations and eventually joined Philadelphia’s front office.

He became the Phillies’ general manager in 2021 under Dombrowski and remained in that position through 2024 before stepping away from his full-time front-office duties to pursue an MBA at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

That background gives Fuld an unusual combination of experiences.

He understands players because he was one.

He understands baseball operations because he has worked inside a front office.

And his business education gives him another perspective that could become increasingly valuable as the Phillies continue to balance baseball decisions with the financial realities of running a major-market organization.

WHY THE ATHLETICS ARE INTERESTED IN FULD

The Athletics are searching for a new leader of their baseball operations department after parting ways with longtime executive David Forst.

The timing makes Fuld an especially logical candidate.

The Athletics are also preparing for a major organizational transition, with their planned move from Sacramento to Las Vegas looming.

That means their next baseball operations leader will not simply be making roster decisions.

The executive will be helping shape an organization entering a completely different era.

Fuld’s previous experience with the Athletics as a player also gives him familiarity with the franchise.

Whether that connection is enough to lure him away from Philadelphia remains unclear.

But the fact that he is reportedly on the Athletics’ shortlist demonstrates how highly he is regarded around Major League Baseball.

THE PHILLIES COULD HAVE A MUCH BIGGER DECISION TO MAKE

The most fascinating part of this story may not actually be the Athletics.

It is what Fuld’s potential departure would mean for Philadelphia.

Dombrowski’s current contract runs through the 2027 season, and the Phillies are reportedly expected to work toward an extension that could keep him in charge of baseball operations beyond that point.

If Dombrowski remains in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future, Fuld could eventually become part of a larger succession plan.

That makes his availability extremely important.

If Fuld leaves now, Philadelphia could lose an executive who might have been positioned to assume greater responsibility in the organization later.

FULD’S FUTURE COULD BE CONNECTED TO DOMBROWSKI’S

There are essentially two possible paths for Fuld.

One is outside Philadelphia.

If the Athletics hire him to run their baseball operations department, Fuld would immediately have a much more prominent baseball role and the opportunity to shape another organization.

The second path is staying with the Phillies and gradually assuming more responsibility.

That could eventually involve a leadership position that combines baseball operations and business responsibilities after Dombrowski’s eventual retirement.

Neither path is guaranteed.

But the possibility of Fuld becoming part of Philadelphia’s long-term leadership structure is precisely why the Athletics’ interest deserves attention.

THE PHILLIES CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE THE SUCCESSION QUESTION

Philadelphia has spent years building a front office capable of competing at the highest level.

Dombrowski remains the central baseball decision-maker, but organizations cannot rely indefinitely on one executive.

Eventually, succession becomes unavoidable.

The smartest time to prepare for that transition is before the current leader leaves—not after.

That is why Fuld’s situation matters.

If the Phillies view him as part of their future, they have to make sure he has a compelling reason to remain in Philadelphia.

That does not necessarily mean immediately replacing Dombrowski.

It could mean expanding Fuld’s responsibilities, clarifying his future role or formally establishing a succession plan.

THIS COULD ALSO CHANGE HOW THE PHILLIES HANDLE THE 2027 OFFSEASON

The Phillies already have major baseball decisions ahead.

They need to determine their managerial direction after their disappointing postseason exit.

They must evaluate the veteran core.

They need to improve roster depth.

And they have to determine how aggressively to reshape a team that has struggled to turn regular-season success into a championship.

Adding uncertainty in the front office would make those decisions even more complicated.

A baseball operations leader needs stability around him.

If Philadelphia is simultaneously determining its next manager, evaluating the roster and preparing for potential executive changes, the organization could face one of its most consequential offseasons in years.

FULD COULD BE MORE VALUABLE THAN PHILADELPHIA REALIZES

There is another important consideration.

Executives like Fuld are difficult to replace because their value is not always visible to the public.

Fans see trades, free-agent signings, lineup decisions and draft selections.

They do not always see the years of planning, player evaluation, organizational development and internal discussions that lead to those decisions.

Fuld has worked across multiple levels of the Phillies’ baseball operations structure.

That institutional knowledge is valuable.

If he leaves, Philadelphia would not simply be losing a title on an organizational chart.

It could be losing someone who understands how the different parts of the franchise fit together.

THE PHILLIES’ BIGGEST RISK IS LOSING CONTINUITY

The Phillies are already facing questions about whether their current roster needs major changes.

The last thing the organization needs is unnecessary uncertainty in the front office.

That does not mean change should be avoided.

Change can be necessary after postseason disappointment.

But there is a major difference between deliberate change and losing key people without a clear replacement strategy.

If Fuld leaves for Oakland, Philadelphia needs to have an immediate plan for who takes over his responsibilities and how that person fits into the organization’s long-term structure.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR DAVE DOMBROWSKI

Fuld’s situation could also increase the importance of Dombrowski’s expected extension.

If the Phillies want Dombrowski to remain in charge, they will have to think beyond simply extending his contract.

They need to determine who will eventually succeed him.

That could be Fuld.

It could be another internal executive.

Or it could eventually be someone from outside the organization.

But the decision should be made strategically rather than because circumstances suddenly force Philadelphia’s hand.

Fuld’s interest from another organization could accelerate that conversation.

THE ATHLETICS COULD FORCE THE PHILLIES’ HAND

This is perhaps the most intriguing possibility.

Even if Philadelphia was not planning an immediate succession decision, another team pursuing Fuld changes the equation.

The Phillies now have to ask themselves a simple question:

What role does Sam Fuld have in this organization’s future?

If the answer is “a major one,” Philadelphia has every reason to make that future clear.

If the answer is uncertain, the Athletics could provide Fuld with an opportunity the Phillies are not currently offering.

That is how front-office transitions can happen faster than expected.

MY PREDICTION FOR THE PHILLIES

The Phillies should be prepared for Fuld to receive serious consideration from the Athletics, but his potential departure should not automatically be interpreted as an organizational crisis.

If Fuld stays, his future role could become increasingly important as Philadelphia plans for life beyond Dombrowski.

If Fuld leaves, however, the Phillies should immediately establish a clear succession structure rather than allowing another important executive position to remain undefined.

The bigger takeaway is that Philadelphia’s offseason is no longer just about players and managers.

It is also about leadership.

The Phillies have built a team capable of reaching the postseason repeatedly. The next challenge is creating an organizational structure capable of turning those appearances into sustained championship success.

THE PHILLIES’ NEXT ERA MAY ALREADY BE TAKING SHAPE

The biggest question surrounding the Phillies may eventually have nothing to do with who plays shortstop, who closes games or who manages the clubhouse.

It may be about who runs the organization.

Dombrowski’s future, Fuld’s potential opportunity with the Athletics and the team’s broader succession planning are now connected pieces of the same puzzle.

Philadelphia cannot control whether another team wants Fuld.

But it can control how clearly it communicates his importance and how prepared it is for the next era.

After another disappointing postseason, that may be one of the most important decisions the Phillies make all offseason.

The roster will get most of the headlines.

The manager will receive most of the attention.

But the front-office decisions could ultimately determine whether Philadelphia’s next championship opportunity becomes reality—or another missed chance.