The Philadelphia Phillies have been hot. After coming off a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres over the weekend, the club travelled a little further north to take on the Los Angeles Angels. While the club's pitching has been a focal point among fans and around the media, the offense has been supporting the dominant arms of the team's rotation.
Alec Bohm, in particular, has been on a torrid hot streak since April 16. Over the last 13 games, the Phillies' third baseman is hitting a scorching .510 with ten doubles, three home runs, 11 runs scored and 19 RBI. He had an extra-base hit in eight straight games heading into Monday night's contest in Anaheim. He didn't pick up another multi-bagger against the Angels but did knock in three more RBI.
The third baseman's double total (12) and RBI total (29) are good for second in all of Major League Baseball. He has the second-highest batting average (.364), and his OPS (1.046) is third-best in the league.
one might say this is good
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 28, 2024
(that's because it is) pic.twitter.com/pAntg0cqxd
Alec Bohm's advanced stats and underlying metrics are eye-popping
Beyond the standard statistics, some of his advanced metrics are also impressive. Bohm's OPS during his current hot streak stands at 1.426. His strikeout percentage is also way down. For his career, the 27-year-old has averaged an 18.9 percent strikeout percentage. This season, his swings and misses have dropped below his career average, and his strikeout rate during his tear is just 10.5 percent.
Bohm's batted ball metrics are impressive as well. His 32.6 percent line drive rate during his last 13 games is significantly higher than the league average of 19.6 percent. His average exit velocity over this stretch is an incredible 95 mph; he has hit at least one ball over 100 mph in all but one of his last 13 games.
On the season, the former first-round pick has an average exit velocity of 89.9 mph, slightly above the league average of 88.8 mph. The hardest ball he hit this season left the bat at 110.8 mph.
His hard-hit rate of 52.2 percent over his last 13 games is also well above the league average of 39.6 percent. This is leading to the boost in extra-base hits, but even some of his outs could be hits. Bohm's batting average on balls in play in that same span is .535.
Bohm's early-season breakout has impacted the Phillies lineup in a huge way. Early in the spring, we analyzed what a breakout season for the Phillies' third baseman would mean for the club, and we are seeing what that looks like now.
The hot corner's recent offensive explosion has made him the second Phillies infielder in as many weeks to earn NL Player of the Week honors after Trea Turner took the accolade last week.
Could this be the season that Bohm finally breaks through as a major offensive threat? Bohm is certainly on pace to put up his best professional season. His current numbers are almost unsustainable, but if he can limit strikeouts, continue to drive the ball, and hit for extra bases, the Phillies' lineup will be more potent than some would have predicted.