Phillies to name Sam Fuld general manager, per report

The Phillies are set to name longtime major-league outfielder Sam Fuld as their general manager, according to a report from NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury:

Fuld, 39, played eight seasons in the big leagues from 2007-15, spending time with the Cubs, Rays, Twins, and Athletics. He also had a memorable stint as the center fielder for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He’s the second former major-leaguer to secure a GM job this offseason, joining former pitcher Chris Young, who was named the Rangers’ general manager. They join former pitcher Jerry Dipoto, now the GM of the Mariners, as the three GMs with major-league playing experience — the highest amount that the league has had in quite some time.

Fuld’s background in analytics is well-established, as he served as the Phillies’ major-league information coordinator from 2018-20, working to efficiently communicate analytical data between the front office, coaching staff, and roster. It looked like he was more likely on the path to becoming a major-league manager than a GM, as he received an interview with the Blue Jays in 2018 and had been discussed in the media as a candidate for numerous other jobs. As recently as November, he was believed to be a finalist for the Red Sox managerial job that was ultimately given back to Alex Cora.

Now, Fuld will work under new president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and will likely play a big role in ensuring that the team continues to utilize a robust analytical approach under a president that is more old-school than the majority of the majors’ front office executives.