The 2024 season was a strange year for Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm. First came the outstanding first half of last season, in which he hit .295 with 11 home runs and was tops in MLB with 70 RBIs in 94 games before the All-Star break. Those strong numbers resulted in Bohm's first All-Star selection and a Home Run Derby invitation.
Things went south quickly for Bohm in the second half when a hand injury contributed to the enigmatic slugger producing a pedestrian .257 batting average with only four home runs and 27 RBIs over his final 191 at-bats.
The drop in production and reported growing tensions with Phillies manager Rob Thomson at the end of last season resulted in a benching in Game 2 of the NLDS in a tough series against the rival New York Mets, with questions about his maturity once again making the rounds. It came as little surprise that the Phillies made Bohm available via trade this offseason, but the 28-year-old arbitration-eligible All-Star third baseman attracted little interest in trade proposals with the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox.
After experiencing a hectic and emotionally draining offseason full of trade rumors, it was a welcome sign that Bohm hit an impressive .370 with 17 hits and three home runs in exhibition play this spring.
Hitting coach Kevin Long thinks Phillies should feel lucky to have Alec Bohm in middle of lineup
Playing with a chip on your shoulder is sometimes a good thing for professional athletes, and Bohm was all smiles after delivering a game-winning RBI double to secure a 7-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Opening Day. That success has continued since, with Bohm currently batting .263 with five hits, one double and two RBIs in his first 19 at-bats of the season.
It's a small sample size, obviously, but, Bohm's return to form doesn't come as a surprise to Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long. Long recently spoke with John Clark from NBC Sports Philadelphia about Bohm's importance as a middle of the order threat in the Phillies' batting order this year.
"I honestly think that he [Bohm] hurt himself, and I think his hand was a big factor on why he wasn't able to do some things lately," said Long.
With Bohm's hand injury now behind him, Long offered a reminder of how impactful he can be when he's healthy. The veteran hitting coach looks forward to seeing what he can do if he can stay consistent at the plate this year.
"Here's a guy who was arguably our best hitter almost all year long, he's hitting well over .300, driving in runs, and in the last month, it kind of fell apart," added Long. "He came back after the injury and just didn't seem to have the same thump he had earlier in the year. So I'm excited for [him] to have a full year of success. ... He's a really good player and someone we should feel very lucky we have hitting in the middle of our lineup."
“He was arguably our best hitter all year long”
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) March 28, 2025
“We should feel very lucky that we have him hitting in the middle of our lineup”
-Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long says Alec Bohm’s hand injury late last year really affected him. https://t.co/wDl48NqrTj pic.twitter.com/mJIiVxVW20
A productive and healthy Bohm is certainly a welcome sight following an offseason full of trade rumors and uncertainty. With all of that now behind him, Bohm will return to his role as a middle of the order run producer. And with Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber all hitting before him, the opportunity to reach 100 RBIs this season is not out of the question. Perhaps 2025 will finally be the season that Bohm quiets his doubters.