Alec Bohm is obviously viewed as replaceable by the Philadelphia Phillies.
However, they also seem to think highly of him, or at least are attempting to persuade possible trading partners of this.
During the 2024 MLB offseason, Bohm has been one of the most talked-about players on the trade market, suggesting that Philly wants to make a deal. The Phillies’ stated asking price, however, is the reason why nothing has come together yet.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Athletics recently made an inquiry about Bohm but “ended the conversation” when the Phillies requested All-Star reliever Mason Miller. For the uninitiated, Miller recently finished his first full MLB season with a 2.49 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and an incredible 104 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched.
Any bullpen pitcher’s star is glowing brighter than Miller’s. The Phillies’ exaggerated perception of Bohm’s value is demonstrated by their belief that they could get him in exchange for him.
Additionally, Philly has already ruined trade negotiations with an absurd request.
The Seattle Mariners, who are in dire need of a third baseman, contacted Bohm earlier this month. When Philadelphia “asked for one of the Mariners’ top pitchers—Logan Gilbert or George Kirby,” according to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, it essentially drove them away.
For background, Gilbert led the Majors in innings pitched (208.2) and WHIP (0.89) and recorded the second-best ERA of his career (3.23), yet he only finished sixth in the Cy Young vote. Kirby has a 3.44 ERA with 8.36 strikeouts per walk over the last two seasons and placed sixth in the 2023 Cy Young voting.
For the foreseeable future, these two are expected to be the mainstays of Seattle’s rotation. Philadelphia had to understand that obtaining either one would require more than just Bohm.
This past season, Bohm officially made his breakthrough and earned his first trip to the All-Star team. But the first part of the season was when all the hard work that went into that breakthrough happened. With four home runs and 27 RBI in 49 games, he was a.251 hitter in the second half. He went 1-for-13 in the playoffs and was benched for Game 2 of the NLDS, severely sinking him.
Maybe these inquiries wouldn’t feel so offensive if Bohm’s worth was at its highest and this was the 2024 trade deadline. However, the second half took place. The whole baseball world watched the postseason disasters unfold. Those must be the reasons the Phillies are so keen to make a trade.
However, they obstinately refuse to acknowledge that his trade worth likewise declined as a result of this drop. He is not one of those elite option clubs that are prepared to compromise on high-end assets to meet their demands. He is a contender for a change of scenery, the type of player a front office hopes will be inspired and more composed following a trade.
Teams don’t spend a lot of money hoping for a comeback. If a player does recover from a slump and get back on track, they will have gained something from the transaction since they want the difficulties to be factored into the price.
Bohm isn’t a great player, but he is (or at least can be) a good one. Until they begin to treat him as such, the Phillies will not be able to reach a trade.
That doesn’t mean they have to quickly locate the first deal available and put a clearance label on him. As additional possibilities at first base (Paul Goldschmidt, Christian Walker, and Pete Alonso are all unsigned) or third base (free agent Alex Bregman or trade possibility Nolan Arenado) begin to disappear from the market, potential suitors may become increasingly desperate.
Philadelphia may benefit from patience, but waiting won’t make Bohm suddenly worth the money the team has been asking for. It may be difficult to get the toothpaste back in the tube at this point, but if the Phillies are serious about finding a deal, they must be serious about what they want in exchange.
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