The truth is that a decision is coming, whether anyone wants to acknowledge it publicly or not. And that decision is tied to forces larger than Bohm himself.
On the surface, his 2025 season was perfectly respectable. He hit .287 with a .331 on-base percentage and a .409 slugging percentage, adding 11 home runs and 59 RBIs in 120 games. The numbers remain steady with his established profile: high contact rate, dependable at-bats, and situational production. His playing time was dented by a fractured rib in July and a shoulder issue that cost him time in September, but even with those interruptions he remained a useful piece of a contending team.
Still, the longstanding question surrounding Bohm refuses to go away. Evaluators both inside and outside the organization keep circling back to the same concern: whether the power production is enough to justify a long-term commitment at a position traditionally anchored by middle-of-the-order damage. It is a debate that has followed him since he arrived in the majors and one that resurfaces every offseason when the Phillies revisit their long-range roster plans.
Bohm enters 2026 as a player in a very clear situation. The club tendered him a contract for roughly $10.3 million, the final year of arbitration eligibility. After the season, he becomes a free agent for the first time. Even a modest uptick in production could place him in a lucrative position on the open market. With a thin third-base class across the league, teams in need of a stabilizing corner bat will be ready to pay. The Phillies know this, and their actions—not their words—suggest a reluctance to commit long-term dollars unless the offensive ceiling changes.
Complicating the picture are two names that loom over the Phillies’ winter planning: Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman. Both represent the kind of lineup-transforming acquisition the club rarely has a chance to pursue. Both have been linked to Philadelphia in recent industry reporting. And both would immediately alter the architecture of the infield.
Bichette is one of the top right-handed hitters on the market, capable of playing shortstop or third base depending on need. His track record of sustained impact at the plate would instantly give the Phillies a different offensive dimension on the left side. Bregman, meanwhile, has appeared in multiple national predictions projecting him as a potential free-agent fit for Philadelphia. His postseason résumé, power output, and defensive stability at third base align with what the Phillies have traditionally sought when building around a championship window.
If either Bichette or Bregman arrives, Bohm’s role changes dramatically. And on a roster built around star-level contracts, carrying a $10 million redundancy at a corner position is not sustainable. In that scenario, a trade becomes not just plausible but almost inevitable.
And that is why the league has begun circling. Over the past week, Bohm’s name has surfaced repeatedly in trade-fit discussions. Boston is an obvious match. Seattle has checked in before and could do so again. The Cubs have also been mentioned in national projections. A one-year, $10 million third baseman with high contact rates and playoff experience fits the profile of clubs trying to compete without committing multiple years and significant dollars.
For Philadelphia, the decision comes down to timing and opportunity. Keeping Bohm for his walk year provides stability. It keeps the lineup intact. It delays the long-term verdict until next winter. But that path only makes sense if the Phillies do not land a star-level infielder. Once a Bichette or Bregman enters the building, Bohm becomes a surplus piece. And surplus pieces on win-now rosters are almost always moved before the deadline.
That, more than anything, is what makes it unlikely Bohm finishes the season as the Phillies’ third baseman. If the Phillies add a marquee player, his job disappears immediately. If they don’t, he still enters the year with no extension talks, no clear long-term endorsement from the front office, and no sign he will be part of the infield’s future. Those circumstances place him squarely in the category of deadline assets—players whose value peaks in July if the club needs pitching or roster balance.
In essence, Bohm is squeezed from both sides. He can be replaced instantly by a star, or he can be moved proactively because the organization cannot risk losing him for nothing. That’s the binary that defines his 2026.
And for all the steadiness he has provided, the Phillies appear headed toward a moment when the question is no longer whether they can win with Alec Bohm—but whether they believe they can win bigger with someone else.
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