Phillies’ Rob Thomson on Alec Bohm trade rumors: ‘We’re not shopping him’

Alec Bohm has been a frequent name on the rumor mill ever since the Phillies’ season crashed and burned with the NLDS upset from the Mets. 

Manager Rob Thomson is aware, but vouching for his third baseman. 

Thomson, who is with the Phillies’ front office group this week in Dallas for the MLB Winter Meetings, joined the MLB Network desk on Monday night to talk about where the team is headed next. 

On the subject of Bohm, Thomson was direct: “I know the rumors are flying all over the place. We’re not shopping him.”

But…

“People are approaching us on him, so you gotta listen.”

The rest of what Thomson told the MLB Network panel about Bohm:

“This guy has improved so much, not just physically, but mentally over the course of the year and the 3-4 years he’s been in the big leagues. 

“[Infield coach Bobby Dickerson], who [analyst Buck Showalter] knows very well, has done an unbelievable job with Alec, getting him to be better defensively, throwing accuracy, glove action.

“He’s a really good hitter because he does the things that I was talking about, not chasing, he does get good pitches to hit. He uses the entire field, he makes contact, that’s why he’s so good hitting behind [Bryce Harper], because he’s gonna put the ball in play with runners in scoring position. He’s not gonna strike out. You can pretty much book an RBI if Alec is at the plate with less than two outs and runners in scoring position.” [MLB Network]

Bohm broke out into an All-Star last season, but his 2024 was really a tale of two halves. 

In the first half, he was surging, slashing .295/.348/.482 with 11 homers, 33 doubles, and 70 runs batted in. 

In the second half, he fell off, dipping down to a .251/.299/.382 line with only four homers, 11 doubles, 27 RBI, and mounting frustration. 

That carried into the postseason with the NLDS, where he continued to struggle and was even benched to start Game 2, all as the Phillies’ championship aspirations burned out quickly. 

The early-October meltdown took the Phillies into the offseason with some sort of change anticipated by most, and with big money already committed to the likes of position stars Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, and J.T. Realmuto, a clear line got pointed toward Bohm with clubs like the Mariners appearing on the trade interest radar. 

On Monday night though, Thomson pumped the brakes a bit.

MORE: 5 ways the Phillies can shake things up — in house

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