The Philadelphia Phillies were looking to shake up their lineup heading into this season. Some of the changes happened internally as Trea Turner moved up to the leadoff spot and Kyle Schwarber became the team’s cleanup hitter. Those changes have helped Philadelphia remain one of the best lineups in Major League Baseball, but it didn’t stop the Phillies from looking for an external addition.
One of the pieces that was shopped this winter remained in the lineup for Opening Day. But the Phillies' failure to find a suitable deal has left them holding onto a stock that has plummeted in the first two weeks of the season. While there’s plenty of time to turn it around, the returns haven’t been great and it paints a murky picture for his future in Philadelphia.
Alec Bohm’s Stock is Fading After Phillies Offseason Trade Rumors
The Phillies tried to shop Alec Bohm this offseason but they couldn’t find a trade partner. The 28-year-old was coming off a productive season with a career-high 3.0 wins over replacement (WAR) and hit .280/.332/.448 with 15 homers and 97 RBI in 143 games. With two years of team control, it felt like a great time to explore a deal but no team paid up before the two sides agreed to a one-year, $7.7 million deal to avoid arbitration.
It may only be two weeks, but the Phillies may have missed their window. Bohm played the hero in an Opening Day win over the Washington Nationals and went 2-for-5 with a walk in the second game of the season. But Bohm has struggled since the fast start, going 4-for-40 at the plate with no extra-base hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts over the past nine games.
Things reached a fever pitch late in Thursday’s loss to the Atlanta Braves as Bohm had multiple chances to play the hero. After working a 3-1 count in his ninth-inning plate appearance, he launched a ball deep to center field for an out. Bohm had runners on the corners in his next at-bat in the 11th inning but launched a shallow fly ball that didn’t allow Nick Castellanos to score the go-ahead run.
Both at-bats played a key role before Marcell Ozuna hit a walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning but were a symbol of Bohm’s struggles. His weighted on-base percentage is in the bottom fourth percentile and his walk rate has dropped to 2.0% according to Baseball Savant. Bohm’s strikeout rate has also jumped from 14.2% last season to 19.6% – his highest mark since punching out 26.6% of the time in 2021 – and his chase rate has gone up from 27.2% last season to 32% this season.
More than anything, Bohm could be playing the mental game. He had one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2024 but instead of being rewarded with a long-term deal, the Phillies tried to see what they could get in return. Those rumors could be creeping into his head both at the plate and in the field but his teammates believe he could turn it around as the season continues.
“We need Alec Bohm to go where we want to go,” Schwarber told The Athletic’s Matt Gelb. “I think that’s the overall message. No one’s saying in the room that we don’t want Alec Bohm. That’s the thing. We want him. And we’re going to need him.”
Phillies manager Rob Thomson also suggested that Bohm’s slump was something he needed to push through as the start of the season fades into the distance.
“You know, everybody gets frustrated,” Thomson said. “And he’s an emotional guy, just like [Bryce Harper]. But he’s not losing it as much or as harshly as he did last year.”
Whatever the case may be, the Phillies need Bohm to turn it around. If he contributes at the plate, it could make a lineup that’s averaging 4.67 runs per game more potent. And if he returns to his All-Star form, it may be enough for the Phillies to keep an eye out for a sweeter deal as they head into the offseason.