We’ve talked a lot about the trades the Philadelphia Phillies made at the deadline, but there were a lot of things the Phillies could’ve done at the trade deadline that, for whatever reason, they opted not to do.
One trade that never came to be, in particular, stands out.
As a former top prospect, Alec Bohm has been in trade rumors since his minor-league days. There was even an Alec Bohm – Kris Bryant rumor before the 2020 season.
Teams were interested in Bohm ahead of last Friday’s deadline, but 4 PM came and went, and Bohm remained a Phillie.
Good thing, too.
Alec Bohm has heated up for the Phillies over the last two months
Overall this season, Bohm is hitting .254/.310/.352 with a .662 OPS, seven home runs, and 46 RBI in 96 games.
However, Bohm, who turns 25 today (Happy birthday!), has heated up over the last two months. Since June 1, Bohm is hitting .322/.390/.420 with a .810 OPS, five doubles, three home runs, 22 RBI, and 46 hits in 43 games. Both of his first two games in August have been multi-hit, including two hits in Monday night’s Rally Mantis game.
Bohm made his debut on August 13, 2020, and had a stellar rookie season; in 44 games (shortened season, remember?), he slashed .338/.400/.481 with a .881 OPS, 11 doubles, four home runs, and 23 RBI. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting to Milwaukee’s Devin Williams.
While it’s true that the Phillies have struggled to develop homegrown talent, especially pitching, it would have been an overreaction to deal Bohm at the deadline. Sophomore slumps are incredibly common, and Bohm is turning it around in a big way. His trade value rose with his slash line, but so did his importance to the Phillies.
The Phillies are showing signs of improvement, especially with new addition Kyle Gibson in the rotation, and the offensive production in the last few games. Bohm is part of that, and will hopefully be an even bigger part of the Phillies’ future.
Next. Phillies: Ranger Suárez’s first start saved by a praying mantis. dark
Watch Phillies’ Jean Segura tell a kid his favorite ice cream during at-bat
Phillies infielder Jean Segura took the time to answer a fan's question about ice cream during his ninth-inning at-bat on Monday, and then tied the game.