Alec Bohm defiant in face of intense scrutiny after disastrous finish to 2024
Is it time to worry about Alec Bohm after he struggled late in the season and the drama that surrounded him in the playoffs?
The Philadelphia Phillies’ early elimination from the 2024 Major League Baseball playoffs can be blamed on the lack of offense, coaching decisions and bullpen. The blame should rightfully be placed on all of that.
The playoffs are when the top players need to be at their best. The Phillies had eight All-Stars this year, including three position players. Alec Bohm was one of them, and the third baseman failed to contribute when it mattered most.
Alec Bohm defiant in face of intense scrutiny after disastrous finish to 2024
Bohm made the first All-Star Game of his career after his dominant first-half performance. The 28-year-old was also nominated for All-MLB honors. He slashed .295/.348/.482 with an .830 OPS. He hit 33 doubles and had 70 RBI which were both among the league leaders at the time.
Bohm struggled mightily in the second half. He slashed .251/.299/.382 with a .681 OPS and had just 11 doubles and 27 RBI. Bohm missed games between Aug. 29 and Sept. 15 with a hand injury and had the worst month of his season which carried into the playoffs.
Bohm went 8-for-47 with just two extra-base hits, two walks and eight RBI in September. He struck out 10 times. Bohm is the type of player who hits for contact and puts the ball in play. That wasn’t the case when he returned from his hand injury.
The entire offense struggled in the playoffs, but Bohm especially did. He went 1-for-13 with a walk. He was thrown out at second base trying for a double in Game 3 for his lone hit of the playoffs. Bohm did hit into the fielder’s choice in Game 4 that scored the Phillies only run.
Is Alec Bohm’s future in jeopardy with the Phillies?
Bohm’s level of play wasn’t the only thing newsworthy in the playoffs. Rob Thomson decided to bench his All-Star third baseman in Game 2 for Edmundo Sosa in a move that Thomson described as looking for energy in the lineup. Bohm got two opportunities to hit after pinch-hitting for Sosa in the seventh inning. He saw three total pitches and flew out to an infielder in both at-bats.
“I’m an aggressive hitter,” Bohm said postgame after the Phillies were eliminated, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I’m not going to change who I am. That’s how I’ve been my whole career. That’s what’s got me here and if they throw the ball over the plate, I’m ready to hit it.”
Bohm is aggressive at the plate and had a .324 batting average in 0-0 counts in 2024. He’s 122-for-367 in 0-0 counts throughout his five-year career for a .332 batting average. The key to being an aggressive hitter is swinging at good pitches. Bohm wasn’t doing that late in the season, and it resulted in poor at-bats.
The fanbase has grown distraught with Bohm because of his late-season and postseason struggles. Some fans want him gone, but that’s unlikely. The Phillies have two years of control over Bohm before he’s a free agent. He turned into a very good player and was awarded for it as an All-Star.
“No,” Bohm said when asked if he’s at a crossroads, per Tim Kelly postgame after the Phillies were eliminated. “I know where I’ll be next year.”
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