The Philadelphia Phillies have recently leapfrogged the New York Mets for first place in the National League East standings. The clubs are trending in different directions, with one winning five of their past six games and the other losing five of their last six.
Uncoincidentally, Philadelphia's surge has aligned with All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm beginning to find his footing following a turbulent start to this campaign. However, he dug such a hole for himself that his season-long numbers are still uninspiring and leave much to be desired. If the 28-year-old can't be consistent at the plate, there could be some interesting discussions leading up to the league's 2025 trade deadline on July 31.
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The Phillies are slowly losing patience with veteran 3B Alec Bohm's offensive struggles
Phillies manager Rob Thomson dropped Bohm to seventh in Philadelphia's lineup in mid-April. Whether it was a motivation tactic or a sign of frustration isn't entirely clear, but the veteran infielder notably didn't bat lower than cleanup before. Nevertheless, the result was a 10-game hitting streak.
Perhaps being moved several spots down the offensive pecking order was all Bohm needed to get back on track, considering he's been hot ever since. Yet, his 2025 on-base (.305), slugging (.362) and OPS (.667) rates are all below the MLB average. So, despite showing signs of life lately, the Phillies need more from him overall.
Bohm's early-year struggles and contractual status sparked rumors that he may be on the move. He and the Phillies agreed on a one-year, $7.7 million contract earlier this offseason to avoid arbitration. The two sides' failure to reach an agreement on a long-term pact suggests their partnership beyond 2026 is uncertain. Is the slugger's turnaround a potential sell-high opportunity worth cashing in on?
If we've learned anything, the Phillies ostensibly aren't married to Bohm as their hot corner of the future. They shopped him this past offseason, and there appeared to be multiple suitors. Knowing this, Philadelphia should explore doing so again, regardless of whether he's playing well or poorly.
We don't know which version of Bohm to expect daily, and neither do the Phillies. An uncomfortable situation looms should Thomson not be able to rely on him as a regular contributor to bolster their postseason aspirations.