ATLANTA, GEORGIA Ð SEPTEMBER 21: Philadelphia relief pitcher Seranty Dominguez (58) pitches at home plate during the Atlanta vs. Philadelphia game at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, Georgia on September 21, 2018. The Atlanta Braves came from behind to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-5. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)
When Serantony Dominguez first joined the Philadelphia Phillies, the core of the 2008 roster was still in good shape and Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay were still giving hitters nightmares. Dominguez signed with Philadelphia as an international free agent in 2011.
Serantony is no longer with the Phillies organization after nearly 13 years.
Looking back at Serantony
Serantony Dominguez took the rebuilding Phillies by storm in 2018. His electric fastball quickly propelled him into the closer role. He posted a 2.95 ERA with 16 saves and 74 strikeouts in 53 games. He seemed like the piece that could help the Phillies emerge from a multi-year rebuild.
In 2019, he appeared in just 27 games with a 4.02 ERA, missed more than half the season with a right UCL injury, and appeared to avoid Tommy John surgery only to have the procedure done more than a year later in July 2020.
He missed all of 2020 and pitched just one inning in 2021. In 2022, Serantony returned to what made him famous in 2018, posting a 3.00 ERA and nine saves in 51 innings as he helped the Phillies reach the postseason for the first time since 2011. He allowed just two runs and struck out 18 batters in 10.2 innings.
He wasn’t as dominant during the 2023 regular season, but he was a force to be reckoned with again in the playoffs, allowing just one run in 5.1 innings.
2024 was not a good season for Serantony. A 4.75 ERA is not indicative of his overall ability as a solid player, nor is his departure a cause for celebration. Without Serantony, the Phillies bullpen recovery from the disaster of a 2020-21 season won’t happen as quickly. The Phillies barely made it to their third wild card in 2022. Without him, the Brewers could still hang on and the Fightings could miss the World Series.
He should be fondly remembered for his accomplishments in the same vein as Ryan Madson and JC Romero.
Team response
When the Phillies traded Serantony Dominguez to the Orioles for Austin Hayes on Friday, there were plenty of people who were vocal.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told the media that the Orioles were not willing to move one of their outfielders unless they acquired a major league relief pitcher, which ultimately led to Cernasoni’s departure. When asked about trading Cernasoni away, Dombrowski said, “It wasn’t easy.”
The player who spent the most time with Sernasoni in the bullpen was Jose Alvarado. Alvarado, who joined Philadelphia in 2021, built a strong relationship with Dominguez during their time together in the bullpen. When asked about his departure, Alvarado said through team translator Diego D’Aniello, “Sernasoni was very important to me. He was another brother to me, a brother that baseball gave me.”
Rob Thomson has been the Phillies coach since 2018 and will take over as manager in 2022. He has personally witnessed the various ups and downs of Serantony’s career.
“Seranthony is a guy who works hard and cares a lot about this organization,” Thompson said. “I think this trade is going to be a really great one for both teams.”
On Friday night, Serantony made his Orioles debut, allowing two hits and striking out one in one inning against the San Diego Padres.
