With the All-Star break just about over, we're now just hours away from the Philadelphia Phillies beginning the second half with a three-game weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road.
This break in game action has allowed us all to reflect on how the Phillies performed during the first half of the season, what players rose to the occasion to keep the team winning, and what players ultimately missed the mark during the first three and a half months of the season.
Who is the Phillies’ first-half MVP?
It's hard to nitpick when evaluating a Phillies team that's 62-34 and 8.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East. As we take stock of the Phillies' season to date, they look destined to win the division for the first time since 2011. It's clear they wouldn't be there if it weren't for contributions from a number of key players on the roster this season.
When choosing a Phillies first half MVP, we find ourselves with almost too many options to bestow the honor upon. That's how it goes on a great team.
We could point to a collective Phillies pitching staff with the lowest team ERA at 3.13. We could choose a starting rotation that sent three of its five members to the All-Star Game in Texas this past week. How about Matt Strahm's 21 1/3 scoreless innings, Bryce Harper's consecutive NL Player of the Month Awards, or Trea Turner's eight home runs during a scorching hot run in July?
How about none of the above?
Alec Bohm deserves the Phillies' first-half MVP
While the Phillies have seen a number of different players make contributions to the Phillies winning way during the first half of the season, one player stands out for consistency and answering the call time after time all year. That player is Alec Bohm.
Coming off a breakout 2023 season that saw Bohm reach personal bests in home runs (20), RBI (97), and doubles (30), the 27-year-old is on pace for another career year in 2024. The first-time All-Star is currently hitting .295 with 11 home runs and 70 RBI and has already hit more doubles in 94 games this year (33) than he did last season in 145 games.
Regular season stats aside, did you see what Alec Bohm is capable of doing to a baseball when he swings for the fences? That was quite an unexpected show Bohm put on in this year's MLB Home Run Derby.
This angle of the Alec Bohm first round Homerun derby performance 😳🔥 pic.twitter.com/KW5kFei7CM
— Last Take™ (@TheRealLastTake) July 16, 2024
What makes Bohm the first-half MVP is what he has been tasked with doing out of the cleanup spot in the order. Bohm's RBI production has been elite all season long, and when teams opt to intentionally walk Harper in close game situations, Bohm has made opposing managers and pitchers pay. With runners in scoring position, Bohm has hit .323 with five home runs and 55 RBI while adding 10 doubles in 96 at-bats.
The Phillies have had to make do without key position players like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber, all being placed on the IL at various points this season. Alec Bohm has been forced to shoulder the load of being an impact bat throughout the season.
We've come a long way since the days of Bohm hating "this bleeping place." And his performance over the first three and a half months is enough to award him our first-half MVP.