Red Sox Fire Dave Dombrowksi, World Series Title Architect

The Red Sox Monday morning fired president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the architect of their 2018 World Series championship team. Dombrowski was fired minutes after the team lost to the Yankees, 10-5, at Fenway Park. The defeat all but guaranteed the Red Sox, with the most expensive payroll in baseball, won't defend their title this postseason.

Dombrowski, known for selling off young, inexpensive pieces in an all-out attempt to improve the major league club, did just that in four years. The Red Sox won the World Series last season thanks to high-priced signings like David Price, Craig Kimbrel and J.D. Martinez and a trade of blue-chip prospects for Chris Sale.

This season, something stunk from the start. The Red Sox did nothing to improve a bullpen they lost major pieces from last season, in which the relief corps struggled behind Craig Kimbrel. The team went into the season without a defined closer; the bullpen was the team's biggest weakness and factored into several close losses in the first half of the season.

“Four years ago, we were faced with a critical decision about the direction of the franchise,” said Henry. “We were extraordinarily fortunate to be able to bring Dave in to lead baseball operations. With a World Series Championship and three consecutive American League East titles, he has cemented what was already a Hall of Fame career.”

Dombrowski, 63, leaves the Red Sox with some of the great young talent he inherited, as well as some onerous contracts for pitchers who severely underperformed and struggled with injury this season.