John Henry spent nearly a decade as a limited partner of the Yankees in the 1990s, and, more than any other current owner, Henry upholds the legacy of the guy who owned the Yankees at that time — George Steinbrenner.

Henry has proven as Red Sox owner since 2002 that he will endure huge payrolls in the pursuit of titles, but even championships offer limited job protection, particularly for the head of baseball operations. Dave Dombrowski was brought in as Boston’s president of baseball operations in August 2015 with a reputation cemented with the Tigers as an executive willing to spend big in dollars and prospects to lure stars and chase rings.

He did just that — successfully. The Red Sox won the AL East in each of Dombrowski’s first three seasons and the World Series last year. But 11 months later, he was dismissed, the news coming after midnight Sunday.

There was little surprise within the industry. There were rumblings during the postseason last year that Dombrowski had poor relationships within the organization and was on tremulous ground. But the championship served as protection. At least temporarily. Dombrowski wanted an extension, but did not get one and, thus, was facing a 2020 lame duck season if retained.

And after so much went right in 2018, the opposite occurred this year, with many of Dombrowski’s biggest financial gambles injured and/or underperforming. The Red Sox are almost certain to miss the playoffs and face a near future clouded by a jammed payroll and a thinned farm system. Ownership did not see the great spender as the person to navigate the Red Sox through what’s ahead.

The Dombrowski dismissal accentuates a period of Red Sox victory and volatility. Theo Epstein, despite being in the job he aspired to throughout his life, left frazzled in 2011 after being the architect of two titles. Ben Cherington replaced Epstein, forged an elite farm system and crafted a champion in 2013, only to be waylaid by Dombrowski’s hiring less than two years later. Dombrowski emptied that farm system to help bring a fourth title in 15 seasons.

But now he too is gone, fired after another loss to the Yankees left the Red Sox 17½ games behind their main rival and pretty much done for even a wild card despite having the majors’ largest payroll.

The Red Sox and Yankees have been in a fascinating personality shift over the past two decades. The Yankees have become more stable and have never sunk from contention, but have just one title since 2001. Also, they have had just one GM, Brian Cashman. The Red Sox have had far more fluctuating performances, including three last-place showings in the years from 2012 to 2015. But any organization would trade places with the Red Sox for those four titles, even as Boston has become a roller coaster of performance and personnel.

The near future looks better for the Yankees, who are closing in on their first division title since 2012. But Boston has burst through the instability and doubt before to outdo the Yankees and the rest of the majors, though this puzzle is difficult.

A consortium of assistant GMs, Brian O’Halloran, Eddie Romero and Zack Scott, for now will replace Dombrowski. Whoever emerges as the permanent replacement will face multiple problems, none bigger than:

1. Mookie Betts has resisted extension efforts to this point. If Betts continues to do so, does Boston have to try to trade its most popular player before his 2020 walk year?

2. J.D. Martinez can opt out of the final three years and $62.5 million of his contract. On one hand, that would free money in a tight payroll. On the other, it would remove a worthy DH/clutch heir to David Ortiz.

3. Rick Porcello is having a poor year and is a free agent, but at least he has been durable. The same could not be said for Nathan Eovaldi, David Price and Chris Sale, who have a combined $292 million remaining. Sale’s five-year, $145 million extension does not even begin until 2020 and his signing — when there were doubts about the health of his shoulder and his ultimate arm problems this year — perhaps did more to assure Dombrowski’s downfall than anything else.

4. The Red Sox will not rebuild, but they are going to try to retool with a farm system regarded as bottom third in the sport and with ownership hesitant to go over the top luxury tax threshold, leaving little financial wiggle room.