Phillies quietly shopping Alec Bohm

Phillies Quietly Shopping Alec Bohm

Phillies Reportedly Shopping Alec Bohm Following Career Season

   A major shake-up may be on the horizon for the Philadelphia Phillies this winter.  

   ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Tuesday that the front office is looking to make notable roster changes after a 95-win season ended with a disappointing NLDS exit to the New York Mets. One possibility could include trading All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm, whose name has recently popped up in the rumour mill.

   Bohm, a free agent after 2026, is coming off the top statistical performance of his five-year big-league career, where he hit 15 home runs with 97 RBIs – matching a career-best – while slashing .280/.332/.448 over 143 games. 

   The 28-year-old was considered an above-average hitter thanks to his 115 wRC+ (100 league average), a career-best mark, excluding the pandemic-shortened ‘20 campaign. With his above-average defence, he ended up being worth 3.5 fWAR, also a career-high.

   Despite an impressive first half, resulting in his first-ever All-Star selection, Bohm’s offensive production dramatically cooled in the second half, as he earned an 89 wRC+ in his final 57 games compared to the 131 mark he recorded over his first 86.

   Amidst continued struggles in the postseason, Philadelphia’s right-handed-hitting third baseman – who went 1-13 in the NLDS versus New York – was removed from the starting lineup ahead of Game 2 of the series.

   Shortly after the Phillies were eliminated, NBC Sports Philadelphia colour commentator Ben Davis predicted during a local radio interview that Bohm likely wouldn’t return from the Phillies’ current core in 2025. 

   Bohm spent a few weeks on the IL in early September after a foul ball deflected off his left hand in a game against the Atlanta Braves on August 29th. But he didn’t enjoy much success upon returning, only registering eight hits in 47 at-bats (.170 AVG) while tallying 10 strikeouts.

   In a Phillies lineup that also includes the likes of Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Nick Castellanos, someone such as Bohm may be viewed as expendable, especially as he becomes more expensive. 

   MLB Trade Rumours projects the 6-foot-5 third baseman to earn $8.1 million in his second arbitration year this winter, doubling his 2024 salary of $4 million. Currently, Philadelphia’s projected 2025 collective balance tax (CBT) payroll resides at approximately $288.4 million, according to FanGraphs’ Roster Resource. 

   That puts the club roughly $47 million above the $241 million luxury tax threshold for 2025. Since they’ve been a luxury-tax-paying club for at least three consecutive seasons, they’d be subject to a 50-percent penalty on all overages, plus an additional 45-percent surcharge for any overages between $40-$60 million above that initial LT figure.

   As a team that exceeds the luxury tax by $40 million or more, the Phillies would also have their highest selection in the 2026 draft moved back by 10 places. They avoided that fate with their 2025 first-rounder after their CBT payroll from this past season surpassed the $237 million threshold by approximately $26 million. 

   With an increasingly expensive roster, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is looking to explore every possible scenario in hopes of returning to the World Series next fall, which may lead to Bohm becoming a financial casualty.

-Thomas Hall

Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_

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