Dave Dombrowski

Dombrowski began his career with the Chicago White Sox in 1978, as an administrative assistant in their minor league organization.{{cite web |title=David Dombrowski |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/det/team/team_frontoffice_bio.jsp?loc=david_dombrowski |work=mlb.com |access-date=July 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726084219/http://mlb.mlb.com/det/team/team_frontoffice_bio.jsp?loc=david_dombrowski |archive-date=July 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }} He moved up the ladder to assistant general manager to Roland Hemond by his late 20s, but was purged during Ken Harrelson's one-year reign in 1986 as the White Sox front-office boss.

Dombrowski joined the Montreal Expos front office as director of player development for the 1987 season under Bill Stoneman, and on July 5, 1988, he became, at age 31, Montreal's general manager—the youngest in MLB at the time.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lyIVAAAAIBAJ&pg=3656,2585038&dq=baseball+dave-dombrowski&hl=en|title=Los Angeles amazes Lasorda|last=Lawson|first=Earl|date=July 23, 1988|work=Ocala Star-Banner|page=4D|access-date=July 7, 2010}}

Dombrowski built up the Expos farm system during his term. He drafted, among others, Rondell White and Cliff Floyd. The team enjoyed .500 or better seasons in 1988–90 but struggled on the field in 1991. Concurrently, the National League expanded to 14 teams, with two new franchises to begin play in 1993. One of those teams, the Florida Marlins, recruited Dombrowski to become its first general manager; he was appointed on September 19, 1991.

Dombrowski spent about a decade in Miami, working under owners H. Wayne Huizenga and John W. Henry. In 1996, he hired Jim Leyland to manage the team; they had previously worked together for the White Sox in the early 1980s, with Dombrowski as assistant general manager and Leyland as third base coach.{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/tigers/story/2011-10-10/tigers-dombrowski-leyland-alcs/50724066/1|title=Dombrowski, Leyland dynamic duo for Tigers|work=USATODAY.COM|access-date=August 4, 2015}} Although Dombrowski built a sound minor league system, the Marlins achieved their first great success—the NL pennant and 1997 World Series title—with a team composed of many high-salaried players signed as free agents. The following year, Dombrowski presided over Huizenga's mandated fire sale of those veteran players, and the Marlins failed to reach a .500 winning percentage in each of Dombrowski's final four years with the franchise. In November 2001, Dombrowski left Florida to become the president of the Detroit Tigers."Dombrowski leaves Marlins to head Tigers," November 5, 2001, http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/11/05/dombrowski_tigers_ap/#null {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011121085630/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2001/11/05/dombrowski_tigers_ap/#null |date=November 21, 2001 }}. Nevertheless, after Henry sold the club in early 2002, the Marlins managed to rebuild behind a nucleus of young players, and the following season, with a roster consisting chiefly of players Dombrowski had acquired,{{Cite web |date=2006-06-13 |title=Prospectus Q&A: Dave Dombrowski |url=https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/5191/prospectus-qa-dave-dombrowski/ |access-date=2022-07-29 |website=Baseball Prospectus}} the team won the 2003 World Series.

File:Dave Dombrowski 2010.jpeg game at Fifth Third Ballpark, 2010]]

For the 2002 season, his first with the Tigers after being hired by owner Mike Ilitch, Dombrowski was to serve as president and chief executive officer of the rebuilding Tigers. Incumbent general manager Randy Smith would continue in his role, reporting to Dombrowski. However, when Detroit lost its first six games in 2002, Dombrowski quickly fired both Smith and manager Phil Garner.{{Cite news |last=Chass |first=Murray |date=2002-04-09 |title=BASEBALL; Tigers Dismiss Garner And Smith |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/09/sports/baseball-tigers-dismiss-garner-and-smith.html |access-date=2022-07-29 |issn=0362-4331}} Dombrowski assumed the general manager's role himself, becoming the first person to serve as both president and GM for the Tigers since Jim Campbell held both titles from 1978 to 1983.{{Cite web |title=St. Petersburg Times - Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0IlIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wnMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6563,4180053&hl=en |access-date=2022-07-29 |website=news.google.com}}

In 2003, the Tigers lost a then American League-record 119 games, one fewer than the modern MLB record at the time, set by the 1962 New York Mets. The manager was Alan Trammell, a popular ex-Tiger player who had been the 1984 World Series MVP. Three years later, the 2006 Tigers, led by manager Jim Leyland, won their first AL pennant since their championship season of 1984. Along the way, they won the AL wild card, defeated the favored New York Yankees in four games in the 2006 American League Division Series (ALDS), then swept the Oakland Athletics in the 2006 American League Championship Series (ALCS). In the 2006 World Series, they were defeated in five games by the St. Louis Cardinals. Dombrowski was subsequently named Executive of the Year by Baseball America.

In addition to bringing Leyland out of semi-retirement,{{cite web|url=http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060623&content_id=1519368&vkey=news_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det|title=Tigers getting ferocious under Leyland|last=Greenberg|first=Jon|date=June 23, 2006|work=mlb.com|access-date=December 14, 2012}}{{dead link|date=October 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Dombrowski presided over the acquisition and development of a corps of hard-throwing young pitchers, and signed free agents such as catcher Iván Rodríguez, left-handed pitcher Kenny Rogers, and outfielder Magglio Ordóñez.

In 2012, the Tigers reached their second World Series under Dombrowski's tenure by defeating the Oakland Athletics in five games in the 2012 ALDS and sweeping the New York Yankees in the 2012 ALCS. The Tigers were then swept by the San Francisco Giants in four straight games, losing the 2012 World Series.

On August 4, 2015, Dombrowski was released by the Tigers, and was replaced by his former assistant general manager Al Avila.{{cite web|url=http://m.tigers.mlb.com/news/article/141107462/tigers-name-al-avila-new-general-manager|title=Avila replaces Dombrowski as Tigers GM|last=Simon|first=Andrew|date=August 4, 2015|work=MLB.com|access-date=August 4, 2015|archive-date=August 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150807004459/http://m.tigers.mlb.com/news/article/141107462/tigers-name-al-avila-new-general-manager|url-status=dead}} In fourteen years with Tigers organization, Dombrowski led the Tigers to five playoff appearances, four consecutive American League Central division titles, four American League Championship Series appearances, including three consecutive ALCS appearances from 2011 to 2013, and two AL pennants, in 2006 and 2012.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/08/04/dave-dombrowski-detroit-tigers-released-end-era|title=Dave Dombrowski's departure marks the end of an era for Detroit Tigers|last=Jaffe |first=Jay |magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=August 4, 2015 |access-date=August 4, 2015}} Prior to his hiring, the Tigers had missed the playoffs in fourteen consecutive seasons, and had just four playoff appearances in the 60 season stretch from 1946 to 2005.

On August 18, 2015, Dombrowski was named the president of baseball operations of the Boston Red Sox.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/08/18/red-sox-hire-dave-dombrowski-president-baseball-operations-ben-cherington-out/31959267/|title=Red Sox hire Dave Dombrowski; Ben Cherington stepping down as GM|newspaper=USA Today|date=August 18, 2015 |access-date=August 18, 2015}} At the announcement of his hiring, the Red Sox also announced that general manager Ben Cherington would step down. In September, Dombrowski filled Cherington's post with senior vice president Mike Hazen.{{cite news |url=https://www.necn.com/news/sports/Mike-Hazen-Named-Red-Sox-General-Manager-329258221.html |title=Mike Hazen Named Red Sox General Manager |first=Mike |last=Pescaro |website=NECN |date=September 24, 2015 |access-date=March 28, 2019}} Dombrowski made his first significant trade for the Red Sox in November, when he acquired closer Craig Kimbrel from the San Diego Padres for four prospects.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/14124091/boston-red-sox-acquire-craig-kimbrel-san-diego-padres |title=Padres trade Craig Kimbrel to Red Sox in exchange for 4 prospects |website=ESPN |date=November 13, 2015}} He also signed high-profile free agent pitcher David Price to a seven-year, $217 million contract.

In Dombrowski's first full season with the team, the 2016 Red Sox won 93 regular-season games and the American League East division title, but were swept in the 2016 American League Division Series by the eventual AL champions, the Cleveland Indians. In mid-October, Hazen resigned from the Red Sox to take an expanded role as executive vice president and general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Dombrowski chose not to appoint a successor, assuming general manager responsibilities without the added title, and promoting other Red Sox executives to key supporting positions, including former MLB general managers Frank Wren and Allard Baird.{{cite news |url=http://www.espn.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/51343/dombrowski-red-sox-wont-hire-a-general-manager |title=Dave Dombrowski: Red Sox won't hire a general manager |first=Scott |last=Lauber |website=ESPN |date=October 25, 2016}}

Prior to the 2017 season, Dombrowski acquired starting pitcher Chris Sale from the White Sox, in exchange for four prospects including Yoan Moncada.{{cite web|url=http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/210441104/chris-sale-traded-to-red-sox-for-yoan-moncada/|title=Red Sox acquire Chris Sale in blockbuster trade with White Sox|date=December 6, 2016|access-date=December 6, 2016|work=MLB.com|author=Scott Merkin|archive-date=September 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923002745/http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/210441104/chris-sale-traded-to-red-sox-for-yoan-moncada/|url-status=dead}} The 2017 Red Sox won their division again, but lost the 2017 American League Division Series to the eventual World Series champions, the Houston Astros. In October, Dombrowski fired John Farrell, who had served five years as Boston's manager.{{cite web|last=Browne|first=Ian|title=Red Sox release manager John Farrell after five seasons|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/red-sox-dismiss-john-farrell-c258211184|website=MLB.com|date=October 11, 2017|access-date=October 11, 2017|archive-date=October 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013185139/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/258211184/red-sox-dismiss-john-farrell/?topicId=27118122|url-status=live}} Later that month, Dombrowski hired Alex Cora, then bench coach of the Astros, to be the next Red Sox manager.{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/red-sox-name-alex-cora-manager-c259274274 |title=Sox finalize 3-year deal with Cora to manage |first=Ian |last=Browne |website=MLB.com |date=October 22, 2017 |access-date=October 22, 2017 |archive-date=October 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022233622/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/259274274/red-sox-name-alex-cora-manager/ |url-status=live }}

The 2018 Red Sox won their division for the third consecutive season; the team recorded 108 wins, the most in franchise history. The team went on to win the 2018 World Series, with a pitching staff led by players that Dombrowski had acquired—including Kimbrel, Price, and Sale—along with designated hitter J. D. Martinez, whom Dombrowski had acquired in February 2018.{{cite news |url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22584613/boston-red-sox-officially-sign-jd-martinez-5-year-deal-2022 |title=Red Sox officially sign J. D. Martinez to 5-year deal through 2022 |work=ESPN.com |date=February 26, 2018 |access-date=February 26, 2018}} It was Dombrowski's first championship since he was general manager of the Marlins in 1997, and he was later named Executive of the Year by Baseball America, the second time he won the award.{{cite news |url=https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2018/11/27/dave-dombrowski-executive-of-the-year-red-sox-baseball-america |title=Dave Dombrowski was named Executive of the Year |first=Calli |last=Remillard |website=Boston.com|date=November 27, 2018 |access-date=November 27, 2018}} In June 2019, the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame awarded its Excellence in Sports Award to Dombrowski.

Dombrowski was fired by the Red Sox early on September 9, 2019, just 10 months after winning the 2018 World Series, following a 10–5 loss to the New York Yankees, which dropped Boston's record for the season to 76–67.{{cite news |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/dave-dombrowski-red-sox-fired-world-series-041332777.html |title=Red Sox fire president Dave Dombrowski less than a year after winning World Series |work=sports.yahoo.com |date=September 9, 2019 |access-date=September 9, 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2019/09/08/red-sox-part-ways-with-dave-dombrowski/MI6P23paliFaFMVRCoaqPN/story.html |title=Dave Dombrowski out as Red Sox president of baseball operations |first=Pete |last=Abraham |website=The Boston Globe |url-access=limited |date=September 9, 2019 |access-date=September 9, 2019}} During his time leading baseball operations, the Red Sox were fined for participating in electronic sign stealing against the Yankees in 2017, and improper use of video replay to decode signs during the 2018 season.{{cite web|last=Perry |first=Dayn |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/alex-coras-managerial-career-which-started-with-historic-success-appears-to-be-over/ |title=Alex Cora's managerial career, which started with historic success, appears to be over |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=January 15, 2020 |access-date=January 15, 2020}}{{cite web|author=Billy Witz |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/15/sports/baseball/red-sox-fined-stealing-signs-yankees.html |title=Manfred Fines Red Sox Over Stealing Signs and Issues Warning to All 30 Teams - The New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=September 15, 2017|access-date=January 15, 2020}} Following an MLB investigation into the 2018 allegations, findings released in February 2020 did not implicate Dombrowski in any wrongdoing.{{cite news|url=https://www.masslive.com/sports/2020/02/boston-red-sox-sign-stealing-investigation-mlb-will-find-dave-dombrowski-not-involved-report.html|title=Boston Red Sox sign-stealing investigation: MLB will find Dave Dombrowski 'not involved' (report)|first=Christopher|last=Smith|publisher=Masslive|date=February 18, 2020|access-date=February 24, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://bosoxinjection.com/2020/02/19/red-sox-miss-dombrowski-roenicke/|title = Red Sox News: Investigation to pass Dave Dombrowski and Ron Roenicke|date = February 19, 2020}}

On December 11, 2020, Dombrowski was named the president of baseball operations of the Philadelphia Phillies.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/phillies-hire-dave-dombrowski-as-president-of-baseball-operations/ |title=Phillies hire Dave Dombrowski as president of baseball operations |first1=Katherine |last1=Acquavella |first2=Matt |last2=Snyder |website=CBS Sports |date=December 11, 2020 |access-date=December 12, 2020}} After missing the playoffs in 2021, the 2022 Phillies qualified for the postseason as a wild card team and secured the National League pennant, where they lost to the Houston Astros in six games in the World Series.{{cite news |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/sports-world-reacts-to-phillies-winning-first-nl-pennant-since-2009/ar-AA13i6UW |title=Sports world reacts to Phillies winning first NL pennant since 2009 |first=Vincent |last=Frank |website=Sportsnaut |via=MSN.com |date=October 23, 2022 |accessdate=October 23, 2022}} It was Dombrowski's first league title with Philadelphia and fifth overall of his executive career.

On November 22, 2022, the Phillies signed Dombrowski to a contract extension that runs through the 2027 season.{{Cite web|title=Phillies extend Dave Dombrowski through 2027|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/dave-dombrowski-phillies-contract-extension|access-date=July 31, 2023|website=mlb.com|language=en}}

{{dagger}} Reflects team's record and position in standings at the time Dombrowski was dismissed.

{{double dagger}} Reflects team's record from when Dombrowski was hired through end of season.

Dombrowski's title with Boston was president of baseball operations. Mike Hazen served as Boston's general manager during 2016 and reported to Dombrowski.

Dombrowski grew up in Palos Heights, Illinois, and graduated from Harold L. Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/10/20/turning-in-a-work/|title=Turning in A+ work|work=tribunedigital-chicagotribune|access-date=August 4, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/det/team/team_frontoffice_bio.jsp?loc=david_dombrowski|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215235543/http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/det/team/team_frontoffice_bio.jsp?loc=david_dombrowski|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 15, 2012|title=tigers.com: Team|work=Detroit Tigers|access-date=August 4, 2015}}

Dombrowski briefly attended Cornell University, where he was a member of the Big Red football team. He later transferred to Western Michigan University, where he earned a degree in business administration in 1979.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsportsdetroit.com/pages/landing?blockID=398138|title=Detroit|author=Fox Sports|work=FOX Sports|access-date=August 4, 2015}} Dombrowski would later be the recipient of Western Michigan University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1998.{{cite web|url=http://www.wmich.edu/business/alumni/recipients|title=Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients|work=wmich.edu|date=October 11, 2012|access-date=August 4, 2015}} In 2018, Dombrowski was honored with the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame Excellence in Sports Award, in Troy, Michigan.

Dombrowski is married to Karie Ross, who worked as an ESPN reporter from 1988 to 1990. They met in 1992 while Dombrowski was serving as general manager of the Florida Marlins and Ross was a reporter at WTVJ in Miami.{{cite web |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/2751492/south-florida-cottons-to-ross-spunk-ex-tv-reporter-is-full-time-mom-with-fond-memories-of-oklahoma |title=South Florida cottons to Ross' spunk Ex-TV reporter is full-time mom with fond memories of Oklahoma |first=John |last=Rohde |website=oklahoman.com |date=August 12, 2001 |access-date=August 4, 2015}} The couple has two children,{{cite web |url=http://mikefriedman.oucreate.com/uncategorized/karie-ross-dombrowski-qa-extra-credit/ |title=Karie Ross Dombrowski Q&A Extra Credit |first=Michael |last=Friedman |website=mikefriedman.oucreate.com |date=April 30, 2018 |access-date=September 11, 2019}} Darbi and Landon.{{cite book |title=2015 Detroit Tigers Media Guide. pg.12}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20503914/introducing_dave_dombrowski/ |title=Introducing... Dave Dombrowski |first=Walter |last=Buchignani |newspaper=The Gazette |location=Montreal |page=2 |date=July 17, 1988 |access-date=May 29, 2018 |via=newspapers.com}}
• {{cite book |title=Tales from the Detroit Tigers Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Tigers Stories Ever Told |first=Jack |last=Ebling |others=Richard Kincaide (Contributor) |publisher=Sports Publishing |date=2018 |isbn=978-1613218808 }}

{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080512031422/https://www.baseballamerica.com/today/execdb/showperson.php/?idx=DombrDa01&fname=Dave&lname=Dombrowski Career profile] at Baseball America via Wayback Machine

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{{Succession box | title=Montreal Expos general manager | before=Bill Stoneman | after=Dan Duquette | years=1987–1991}}

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{{Succession box | title=Florida Marlins president | before=Don Smiley | after=David Samson | years=2000–2001}}

{{Succession box | title=Detroit Tigers president | before=Mike Ilitch | after=Chris Granger | years=2001–2015}}

{{Succession box | title=Detroit Tigers general manager | before=Randy Smith | after=Al Avila | years=2002–2015}}

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