These Phillies can't get it done. It's time for dramatic action

OK, that's enough. Time for Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to concede his collection of well-paid stars isn't getting it done. Time for him to take dramatic steps to overhaul his roster.How, you ask?Not sure. But Dombrowski, too, is well-paid. And it's his job to figure it out.Moving Trea Turner from shortstop to center field? That should be automatic, assuming the Phillies can't trade him. Trading Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber? Don't love the idea, but everything needs to be under consideration. Everything.The Phillies are not going to rebuild, not when they're still drawing 3 million fans to Citizens Bank Park, not when their three best starting pitchers -- Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo and Cristopher Sánchez -- are under contract through 2027, 2031 and 2032, respectively.Dombrowski, though, cannot bring back the same club. And if owner John Middleton is wedded to the team's stars -- he gives no indication to the contrary -- then Dombrowski will need to build a much stronger supporting cast.The Phillies' 6-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in the wild-card clincher Thursday night marked their fourth straight year of regression in the postseason since appearing in the 2022 World Series.In 2023, they lost the NLCS to the Arizona Diamondbacks after returning home with a three-games-to-two lead. In '24 and '25, they lost in the Division Series to the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively. And this season, they nearly blew a five-game lead for a playoff berth with eight to play, then got knocked out in the wild-card round.Hiring Alex Cora to replace interim manager Don Mattingly might be Dombrowski's first move, but to what end? Cora, Dombrowski's manager with the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, isn't going to walk into the Phillies' clubhouse and sprinkle magic pixie dust on a club that clearly is trending in the wrong direction.A number of the Phillies' most prominent players -- from Harper to Schwarber to Turner; Wheeler to Aaron Nola to J.T. Realmuto -- are 33 or older. The team is inconsistent offensively, shoddy defensively and haunted by Dombrowski's historic inability to build a quality bullpen.Other than that, all is well.Some of the Phillies' turnover will occur naturally, with first baseman Alec Bohm, second baseman Luis Arraez and left-handed reliever José Alvarado likely to depart as free agents. Dombrowski can also maneuver around the edges, perhaps by trading left fielder Brandon Marsh, whose stock plummeted with a horrid second half. But the Phillies aren't likely to get much help from their farm system.Since Dombrowski took over in December 2020, the Phillies have produced only two homegrown major leaguers who were drafted after the first round -- relievers Alex McFarlane and Orion Kerkering. Baseball America recently ranked the Phillies' system the second-worst in the majors, in part due to a back injury that sidelined shortstop Aidan Miller virtually all season.Miller would have been the natural replacement for Turner, and still could be. Turner, with seven years and more than $190 million remaining on his contract, would be difficult to trade unless the Phillies assumed a significant portion of his remaining salary. He is coming off his worst offensive season, and his defensive metrics were among the worst of any shortstop. On top of that, his deal includes a full no-trade clause.Harper's deal, too, includes full no-trade protection, and Schwarber just gained full no-trade rights as a player with 10 years of service, five consecutive with the same club. Neither of their deals is oppressive: Harper is owed $118 million over the next five seasons, Schwarber $120 million over the next four. And both players are still major contributors, Harper ranking seventh in the NL in OPS this season, Schwarber ninth.The Phillies at least need to kick around the idea of trading one of them. Actually following through, though, would be another matter, given Middleton's affection for both players. With Andrew Painter seemingly set to emerge as another dominant starter, it would be entirely in character for Middleton and Dombrowski talking themselves into signing free-agent outfielder Randy Arozarena, assembling a deeper roster and taking another shot.Besides, trading Harper or Schwarber would be tricky.Harper declined opt outs in the 13-year, $330 million free-agent deal he signed with the Phillies prior to the 2019 season. He no longer wished to be the subject of trade rumors. He wanted to settle in one city for the rest of his career.Since joining the Phillies, he and his wife, Kayla, have become the parents of four children. Convincing him to leave would not be easy. For Harper to join, say, the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox or in a longshot, the Athletics, who will play one more season in West Sacramento before moving to his hometown of Las Vegas in 2028, he likely would require a contract extension.Interested teams could view Harper as either a first baseman or right fielder. Schwarber, who is strictly a designated hitter, does not offer that kind of defensive utility. And the Phillies would be reluctant to move a player who is the team's heart and soul and leads the majors with 232 home runs the past five seasons.The only way Middleton might consider trading one of his best hitters or even one of the Phillies' starting pitchers would be if the deal brought a significant return and/or created payroll flexibility for other moves. Even then, parting with Harper or Schwarber could backfire the way parting with Pete Alonso did for the New York Mets.Like Alonso, Harper and Schwarber have proven they can thrive in a demanding East Coast market. Not every star possesses the same kind of mental fortitude. And at some point, the box office is a concern. Both Harper and Schwarber are likely to reach 400 homers next season. Both could reach 500 in a Phillies uniform.Then again, keeping the roster static would be its own kind of risk. The Phillies ranked fifth in home attendance this season, but were down 4.3 percent from a year ago. Their fans are tired of watching the season play out the same way year after year.At the very least, fresh energy is needed. Problem is, the free-agent market is painfully thin. The next collective bargaining agreement almost certainly will include greater payroll restrictions of some kind. And the Phillies for 2027 already have $240 million in luxury-tax commitments.Dombrowski, 70, is one of the top executives in the sport, a potential Hall of Famer. But he has never been the most creative, generally preferring a more methodical approach to roster construction. His deadline trade for Arraez, which required three regulars to change positions, was an exception.Dombrowski's contract expires after 2027. He is a favorite of Middleton's, and seems likely to receive another extension. Overhauling these Phillies would rank among the bigger challenges of his career.Well, it needs to happen.The current group has grown stagnant. Change is necessary, before things get worse.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.