When Will Enough be Enough With the Phillies and Alec Bohm?

When the Philadelphia Phillies selected third baseman Alec Bohm out of Wichita State University, many expected him to quickly become a key piece in Philadelphia.

The Phillies’ 2018 top draft selection made quick work of the minors. His debut came in the 2020 COVID-shortened season, where he displayed his elite hit tool scouts and analysts raved about.

Bohm used that season to establish himself as a franchise cornerstone for Philly, hitting .338 with a .881 OPS. Despite the small sample size, Bohm’s output in his rookie campaign solidified his spot in the big-league lineup for a full 2021 season.

Bohm’s second season came with a sophomore slump that saw a massive downturn in his production. He logged a -1.2 WAR while slashing .247/.305/.342.

Sophomore slumps are common in baseball, as pitchers adapt to hitters and are better suited to attack a batter at the plate. However, Bohm has never quite returned to the level of his rookie year production.

Stats were taken prior to play on June 1.

A Good Player, Not a Franchise Star

Alec Bohm has been a good player for the Phillies, but that doesn’t mean he has reached expectations. Bohm has not developed into the star that many projected.

The 6-foot-4 third baseman’s best season came in 2024, where he was a top hitter in baseball for the first part of the season. Bohm’s hot start earned him a starting spot in the All-Star Game in Texas. Bohm had a slide to end the season, but he still totaled a 2.8 WAR to go along with a 113 wRC+ and a .779 OPS.

Philadelphia was hoping he would build off that productive season and put together a full season of his 2024 first half. Bohm did not reach that level of production, posting a .741 OPS and a 105 wRC+. Once again, it was a solid campaign, but not what the Phillies are looking for.

Bohm Isn’t the Phillies’ Cleanup Answer

The biggest issue with Bohm and the Phillies is his placement in the lineup. Philadelphia is a team with two of the best left handed hitters in the game, yet they lack any reliable right handed bats. $300 million shortstop Trea Turner has been abysmal this year, hitting .223 with a .622 OPS.

Bohm hasn’t been any help from the right side either this season. The Phillies third baseman is hitting .210 while sitting at a .606 OPS. Despite his abysmal numbers, he’s still one of the Phillies’ most-used cleanup hitters this season. The early disappointment can be attributed to the inconsistencies from Philadelphia’s lineup. They have no protection for Bryce Harper.

The club has experimented using Brandon Marsh as a cleanup hitter. Marsh occasionally gets the nod with a righty on the mound, but then the Phillies are stacking three lefties in a row. Philadelphia has recently decided to move Schwarber back to leadoff, slotting Turner in the two hole, with Harper third and Marsh at cleanup. The mixing and matching of the lineup is because of Bohm’s disappointment.

The Phillies entered the season with Bohm penciled into the four hole. Premier players like Harper can be much more impactful when they have a legitimate threat behind them. The Phillies have had trouble finding the perfect fit behind Harper for years, and as a result they’re asking Bohm to be someone he’s not.

Bohm has not just been below the caliber of a cleanup hitter, but one of the worst in baseball. He’s got a 69 wRC+, 67 OPS+, and sits at a -0.2 fWAR. The Phillies moved him down in the lineup following his poor performance early, but once he started to heat up, they immediately thrust him back into the cleanup role.

The problem is, Bohm has never been a cleanup hitter. The former first-round pick has topped 20 home runs once and has a career OPS of .733. That’s not exactly four-hole material, especially on a team that’s aiming to contend for a World Series.

The October Problem Remains

The Phillies’ quest for a World Series has fallen short several times. The inconsistent offense has been the driver in their failure. This is an area Bohm can partially be blamed. While most of the Phillies lineup goes ghost in October, Bohm is no different.

The last few postseasons, Bohm has been the man behind Harper, who has been a historically good hitter as a Phillie in October. In his playoff career, Bohm has a .225 average with a .660 OPS. That production behind Harper is simply not good enough.

Bohm’s inability to protect Harper is a huge problem for Philadelphia. Teams want their best players to be getting pitches to hit, especially when the lights are the brightest. With Harper having all-time great postseason numbers, the Phillies don’t want opposing pitchers pitching around him.

If the Phillies want to change their postseason fortunes, they’re going to need to acquire a strong right-handed bat. Adolis Garcia has been one of the worst hitters in baseball, Turner has been awful, and Bohm is having the worst season of his career.

Come August 3, the Phillies will certainly be in the market for a premium right-handed hitter, most likely an outfielder. Ideally, this will be a player who replaces Garcia in right and Bohm as the cleanup hitter.

What’s Next for Bohm and Philly

Fortunately for both sides, Alec Bohm is slated to become a free agent following the 2026 season. This season was the last of club control, and arbitration was avoided as Bohm and the Phillies struck a $10.2 million salary.

Philadelphia’s desire to move off Bohm hasn’t been a secret around the league over the past few seasons. Much reporting has been done on the Phillies taking trade calls on Bohm or offering him up as part of a larger deal.

Bohm could definitely use a hot start, and he almost certainly will not be wearing red pinstripes in 2027. Bohm may benefit from a smaller-market team that has lesser expectations. The sky-high expectations combined with the media presence surrounding the Philadelphia fanbase might be too much for Bohm.

In 2021, Bohm was on camera saying “I hate this place,” and he admitted to it postgame while also rescinding that sentiment. It’s now 2026, and Bohm is a couple of months away from a fresh start.

For the Phillies, this will open an infield spot for their top prospect Aidan Miller, who may finally be that right-handed bat the club has needed for years and may take over at the hot corner for Philadelphia in 2027.