Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm may very well have made himself public enemy No. 1 in fans' eyes following the tragic end to the 2024 season. His fall from grace in the second half of the season left a bitter taste in people's mouths after such a rejuvenating campaign.
Bohm was one of the first names to be mentioned in trade talks after the Phillies' Red October came to an early end. His demeanor had turned sour and speculation suggested his benching in Game 2 of the NLDS had much to do with it. Now, a possible change of scenery could be upon Bohm and with trade talks escalating, it could potentially hurt his value on the open market.
The Seattle Mariners have become the most recent talking partner in discussions.
Mariners easily rejected the Phillies' initial trade demand for Alec Bohm
Bohm has become the most popular name linked to the Mariners early in the offseason. The Phillies came out swinging, with a report stating they requested either of the Mariners' top pitchers, Logan Gilbert or George Kirby, for Bohm, per Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Discussions haven't progressed and could throw a wrench into further plans.
Gilbert, 27, went 9-12 in 33 starts in 2024, despite having a 3.23 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 220 strikeouts in 208 2/3 innings. Kirby, 26, went 14-11 in 33 starts with a 3.53 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. He struck out 179 in 191 innings, while walking just 23.
Bohm increased his value tremendously in 2024 by becoming a first-time All-Star while hitting .280/.332/.448 with a .779 OPS. His timely hitting with runners on base helped stabilize the Phillies lineup, but again left much to be desired defensively.
The Mariners were able to turn down trading either pitcher due to Bohm's inconsistency alone. It is beyond doubt that Bohm has value, but the pitchers in question are among the best the Mariners have. They also would like to keep all five of their starters next season, according to Jude, so the faults that Bohm has make it a hard sell for Seattle.
Bohm is also under team control for two more years and could provide a much-needed bat for a struggling Mariners offense. Maybe the ask of Gilbert or Kirby is too steep, but there's value that is measurable and if the Phillies want to move Bohm bad enough, the deal can always be worked out. On the Phillies' end, it frees up a roster spot and possibly paves the way for top prospect Aidan Miller.
The ripple effect of shopping Bohm could take place soon enough with uncertainty at the hot corner thereafter, per Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Some free agent options remain to fill the hole in the lineup. More suitors surely could emerge as we approach the Winter Meetings, a trademark of the baseball offseason, next week.