The Philadelphia Phillies have kicked off their season with some encouraging performances, particularly from stars like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Nick Castellanos. They’ve been showing heat at the plate, which has been crucial in maintaining a strong offensive presence.
Equally impressive has been the starting pitching, holding its ground despite missing Ranger Suarez. Meanwhile, Jose Alvarado and Matt Strahm have asserted their dominance in late innings, easing the hits from losing Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez.
Yet, despite these positives, they’ve fallen behind the Mets in the standings, primarily due to the Mets boasting what might currently be the top pitching staff in MLB.
Unfortunately, Philadelphia’s robust offensive numbers have taken a hit, partly because of the struggles plaguing outfielder Brandon Marsh and third baseman Alec Bohm. Marsh’s recent stint on the 10-day injured list follows a hitless streak over the early weeks of April.
However, there’s a question mark around Bohm, who hasn’t found his groove at the plate. He’s batting a mere .193/.211/.261, which equates to a wRC+ of 30, meaning he’s been performing 70% worse than the league average offensively this season – distressing numbers for someone with 90 plate appearances already under his belt.
Bohm’s downturn is perplexing, especially considering his slide last season after the All-Star break, where his stats dipped to .251/.299/.382 over 204 plate appearances. Over this continual rough stretch amounting to nearly 300 trips to the plate, Bohm’s 71 wRC+ performance raises concerns as it falls well beneath expectations for an everyday role at the hot corner on a team aiming for playoff contention.
Defensively, Bohm has been a mixed bag. His metrics showed a +5 Outs Above Average (OAA) last year, placing him on the positive side defensively.
Yet, this year tells a different story, with a -3 OAA already, as defensive inconsistency continues to follow him. Add to that his inaptitude on the bases, with not more than five stolen bases in any season, and the urgency for his bat to catch fire becomes even clearer.
Nevertheless, diving deeper into Bohm’s metrics reveals some glimmers of hope. His hard-hit rate stands at an impressive 51.4%, outstripping his career average by nearly seven points.
Moreover, his barrel rate of 8.3% aligns him with some of the power hitters of last season. The stumbling block lies in his 50% groundball rate, his highest since 2021, alongside a career-low 20.8% line drive rate.
This suggests a need for elevating the ball more effectively.
Additionally, Bohm is seeing a dip in plate discipline, with a strikeout rate jumping from 14.8% in previous years to 17.8% now. More disconcerting is his paltry 1.1% walk rate, having yielded just one walk so far. For perspective, only 15 other players with half the plate appearances have fewer walks.
Still, those looking at Bohm’s track record might hold some optimism. If he can regain his plate discipline and optimize his swing to elevate the ball more frequently, there’s potential for turnaround. However, patience may wear thin, given Edmundo Sosa’s hot start at third base—with a .414/.438/.552 line, even if inflated by a .571 BABIP over a limited sample size.
While the Phillies grapple with the Mets’ surging trajectory, they may contemplate options, including potential trade scenarios as the deadline approaches. Nolan Arenado rumors are likely to bubble up as possible trade chatter intensifies.
So, what does the future hold for Bohm in Philadelphia? Will he cement his place as the starting third baseman, and rediscover his hitting caliber aligning with his career 101 wRC+? Whether Bohm rebounds or not, the hamster wheel of trade possibilities will keep churning as we press deeper into the season.
