In somewhat of a surprising move, the Philadelphia Phillies didn’t make any major changes to their lineup in the offseason despite another disappointing showing in the playoffs.
After winning 95 games in the regular season and taking home the National League East title, they were eliminated by the New York Mets in four games during the NLDS.
The only change that was made to the projected starting lineup over the winter was signing outfielder Max Kepler. He is projected to take over as the starting left fielder, a position he has never played as a professional.
The other seven spots in the field are going to be occupied by the same players who held those spots during the 2024 campaign.
One of the players who is going to have a lot of attention on them is third baseman Alec Bohm.
An All-Star in 2024, he was the subject of a lot of trade rumors this past winter. Looking to shake up their lineup, moving him and his increasing salary was something the team strongly considered.
However, the asking price was reportedly very high, which led to no deal getting done and him remaining as the team’s starter at third base.
It wasn’t the worst outcome for the team, as Bohm is one of the better starting players in the league at the hot corner. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report placed him at No. 9 in his rankings of the starting third basemen in the league.
That feels like an appropriate spot for him to be, as he needs to still prove that he can produce at an All-Star level for the duration of a campaign, not just the first half.
Bohm was incredibly productive in the first half earning the All-Star nomination, recording a slash line of .295/.348/.482 with 11 home runs, 33 doubles and one triple. He was a run-producing machine with 42 runs scored and 70 RBI.
Unfortunately for the Phillies, his production fell off a cliff in the second half.
His power disappeared, as he managed a slash line of .251/.299/.382 with only four home runs and 11 doubles. 27 RBI were recorded as he wasn’t as impactful of a producer in the middle of the order.
That inconsistency is what makes Bohm a fringe top 10 third baseman, not ascending into the top five. He certainly has the skill to do so and is in a great spot to produce in the middle of a potent Philadelphia lineup.
Bohm is a player to keep a close eye on as he could be playing for his future with the franchise.
Top prospect Aidan Miller reached Double-A last year and is moving through the minor league system rapidly. Originally expected to move to third base, he has exceeded expectations and is playing very well at shortstop.
But, if Bohm cannot lock down a long-term spot with the Phillies, they know a star prospect in waiting in the wings capable of taking over at the hot corner.