Phillies expect Gold Glover to make $189 million if Alec Bohm is traded

All eyes are on the Philadelphia Phillies’ hot streak this winter.

The Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round this season, and fairly or unfairly, third baseman Alec Bohm has taken the lion’s share of the heat. After a strong second-half and postseason slump, the first-time All-Star could soon be on his way to a new team.

Although the 28-year-old third baseman still had a strong season overall (44 doubles, .778 OPS), there’s a chance the Phillies could view his position as a key to a World Series title in 2025.

This would make a lot more sense if they ended up signing a third baseman who has two World Series wins under his belt.

Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros is a free agent this winter, and the Phillies could become a top target if third base suddenly opens up. Recently, Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report predicted that the Phillies would sign Bregman if Bohm was traded this winter.

“Bregman is one of the best in the majors at his position, so it’s not surprising that the Phillies would look to sign him in hopes of improving their World Series prospects,” Beaston said.

“Given Bohm’s lackluster 2024, especially going forward, it’s also not surprising that the team is looking for a trade partner for the Home Run Derby runner-up. However, the two appear to be linked, meaning the Phillies will not acquire Bregman unless they can offload Bohm, muddying the picture even further.”

Bregman, 30, faces a tough payday. He is a two-time All-Star and although his offensive stats this season weren’t quite up to his career standards, he won his first career Gold Glove. The Athletic’s Tim Britton is promising him a seven-year, $189 million deal.

Although Bregman is more expensive than Bohm, it has also proven to be much more reliable. Even in a season where Bohm was an All-Star and Bregman was not, the latter still had the edge in wins above replacement (4.1 to 3.0). For her career, Bregman’s WAR of 39.6 dwarfs Bohm’s 3.8.

It would be hard to blame the Phillies for moving on from Bohm if they knew they could sign Bregman, but things don’t always come together so smoothly. Philadelphia’s front office will have to prove it can handle moving parts this winter.

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