3 internal third base options if Phillies end up trading Alec Bohm

This offseason could be the end of the line for the Philadelphia Phillies trio affectionately known as the Daycare. A number of early offseason articles and rumors have indicated the Phillies front office is willing to test the market for third baseman Alec Bohm, second baseman Bryson Stott and outfielder Brandon Marsh.

Tuesday's report from ESPN's Jeff Passan that Bohm has been made available via trade comes as little surprise. Bohm was the team's top run producer for much of the first half, leading the team in RBI and making his first All-Star appearance.

But the second half was a different story for Bohm as the combination of injuries and subpar performance contributed to an alarming drop in production the rest of the season. Bohm's benching in Game 2 of the NLDS versus the Mets seemed to cause some friction between the maligned third baseman and his manager Rob Thomson.

Now that the three architects of the customary post-game water dumping celebration have all been tied to trade rumors, it's obvious the organization is willing to make improvements by trading from their own 40-man roster this offseason. With the Chicago White Sox reportedly asking for a return of one or two young MLB position players and a package of prospects in a trade for stud left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet, it appears that the Phillies are one of the teams with the trade capital to get a deal done. But will they?

3 internal third base options if Phillies end up trading Alec Bohm

If Passan is correct and the Phillies do trade Bohm this offseason, the question shifts to who will play third base next season? While the Phillies could engage in the free agent market for a replacement, let's take a look at three internal candidates that could slide over to third base in 2025.

Edmundo Sosa

The first and most obvious internal candidate to replace Alec Bohm is super-utility man Edmundo Sosa, who has played 116 games for the Phillies at the hot corner since arriving via trade in 2022. Sosa got a rather long look at the position in 2023 when Bohm was moved to first base after Rhys Hoskins was placed on the 60-day IL following season-ending knee surgery.

In the 116 games Sosa has played at third for the Phillies over the last three seasons, the versatile veteran has committed 12 errors in 278 total chances fielding the position, with 11 of those errors coming during his 82-game stint in 2023.

At the plate, Sosa handled left-handed pitching this season, batting a robust .284 with 31 hits, 10 doubles, three triples, three home runs, and 14 RBI in 109 at-bats against southpaws. Numbers like that could suggest a platoon of Sosa with a left-handed hitter at third base could make sense if the Phillies don't replace Bohm externally this winter.

Kody Clemens

Speaking of Phillies left-handed hitters who have experience at third base, we have the curious case of Kody Clemens. As the lone bright spot from a lopsided trade with the Detroit Tigers two offseasons ago, Clemens has shown the potential to become a quality super-utilityman at the major league level.

Clemens' remaining minor league options have delayed his chance to stick with the big club, but could a Bohm trade open up a platoon situation with Edmundo Sosa in 2025?

Clemens has done everything the Phillies have asked of him, whether that is playing every infield position minus shortstop, filling in at the corner outfield spots, and making five appearances pitching in mop-up duty on the mound over the last two seasons. He has had his moments at the plate as well, and seemed to thrive when starting games in 2024, with a .230 batting average, 20 hits, four home runs, and 16 RBI in 87 at-bats.

Could 2025 finally be the year that Kody Clemens spends an entire season in the Major Leagues?

Weston Wilson

Weston Wilson is another option who the Phillies could pencil in at third base if Alec Bohm is traded this offseason. Wilson proved that 2023's impressive eight-game stint was no fluke, with the longtime minor leaguer appearing in 40 games for the Phillies this season.

Wilson's positional versatility and solid right-handed bat became vital factors for the team down the stretch this year when he established himself as a capable right-handed hitting platoon option for Thomson late in the season. In total, Wilson hit .284 with 25 hits, three home runs, and 10 RBI in 88 at-bats.

Following the release of Whit Merrifield around the All-Star break, Wilson found himself with a semi-regular role on the Phillies for the balance of the summer, getting penciled in for starts in place of the left-handed hitting Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh, who both struggled against southpaws this past season. Wilson has played six games at third base with the Phillies since making his debut in 2023, and could be a longshot candidate to see additional time at the position next season if the Phillies do in fact trade Bohm this winter.

It's looking very likely that Bohm will be on the move this offseason. Some of that could be tied to performance, but it's no secret that Bohm will continue to get more expensive via arbitration over the next two offseasons. It's possible the Phillies are considering trading Bohm ahead of those paydays while also clearing a future roster jam with top prospect third baseman/shortstop Aidan Miller likely to make his debut sometime in 2026.

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