Alec Bohm's offensive success during the last month should have attracted the attention of the national media. The Philadelphia Phillies third baseman has developed one of the better swings in baseball according to Statcast's new bat tracking data.
With how well Bohm has played since the middle of April, he could make the All-Star Game for the first time in his career. After his 1-for-3, five-RBI game on Sunday versus the Washington Nationals, his .917 OPS is sixth-best among hitters in the NL and 14th in MLB. The infielder's .330 batting average is fourth in all of baseball. He has a .389 OBP, which is the 12th-best, while his .528 slugging percentage is 13th. He leads MLB with 18 doubles and 42 RBI in 47 games.
Alec Bohm gets the @Phillies on the board 👀@Casamigos | #MLBNShowcase pic.twitter.com/KbP5AE3mpZ
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 17, 2024
Phillies' Alec Bohm has one of the most valuable swings in MLB
Bohm is simply producing at the plate at a whole other level. Statcast's new bat tracking data gives insight into how he has managed to start the season at an excellent pace. First, he ranks among the best hitters in the number of competitive squared-up swings. His 86 competitive squared-up swings are ninth-best.
The squared-up rate tells how much of the highest possible exit velocity available a batter obtains. If a batter's swing is 60 percent squared up, the hitter attained 60 percent of the maximum possible exit velocity based on the swing speed and pitch. His 40.2 percent squared-up contact rate is the 20th-best, while his 34.1 percent squared-up swing rate is tied for 12th.
Another piece of new data available on Baseball Savant is the amount of "blasts" a hitter has. The glossary defines a blast as when a batter squares up a ball and does so with a minimum amount of bat speed. There is a difference between a squared-up and a blast swing —a blast takes only the most valuable combinations of hard swings and contact efficiency.
Bohm's 45 blasts are the ninth-most. His 21 percent blast contact rate ranks him 18th, just ahead of teammate Kyle Schwarber, while his blast swing rate of 17.9 percent is the eighth-best in all of MLB. Considering how a blast swing is more valuable than a squared-up swing, it is understandable why the third baseman has been successful over the last month.
Over the last 30 days before Sunday's game, Bohm has led the majors in multiple categories. His 42 hits, 15 doubles, and 26 RBI are the best in MLB. He also leads all hitters with a .378 batting average. The infielder's .417 OBP is tied for ninth, and his .595 SLG is eighth. His 1.011 OPS is third in the NL and sixth overall.
The 27-year-old is having an impact on the Phillies' success. Bohm has helped lead them to first place in the NL East since the beginning of May. Philadelphia currently has a lead of 4.5 games over the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the division.
Bohm can certainly make the case for being worthy of appearing in his first All-Star Game. He could even earn the privilege of starting the contest for the NL at third base. More importantly, he needs to maintain this success at the plate during the postseason. He didn't look the part of the club's clean-up hitter during last year's playoffs. If he can carry over this momentum, he will certainly be worthy of a key spot in the Phillies' batting order this postseason.