The Philadelphia Phillies are sending three infielders to the MLB All-Star Game in Texas as Alec Bohm, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner were announced as starters for the National League on Wednesday.
Bryce Harper was the National League’s leading vote-getter and it was known that he would be starting before Wednesday’s announcement, but his Phillies teammates in Alec Bohm and Trea Turner joined him. Harper is nursing a hamstring injury, but is expected to be good to go by the time the game comes around. Turner beat out Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who would have missed the game with a broken hand anyway. Bohm is going to his first All-Star game after he beat out Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres for the third base spot. Bohm opened up on the honor.
“Obviously it’s something you dream about as a kid. It’s something that’s not to be taken lightly,” Bohm said, via Jesse Rogers of ESPN. “But I think it’s just going to be cool to be able to look to my left and see the guy I play with every night over there and across the field and throw the ball to the guy I throw the ball to every night, so I think it’s just kind of cool to be able to have that moment with a couple of the guys that showed you the way.”
The fourth infield spot is taken up by Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. It will still be a cool experience for the three Phillies infielders to take the field together in Texas. Bryson Stott has been solid for the Phillies. It is unknown whether or not he has a chance to make the team as well, but the Phillies are hoping for it.
“Hopefully Stott makes it as well,” Phillies manager Rob Thompson said, via Rogers. “Atlanta had it last year where all four of their infielders made it.”
Thompson managed the National League in 2023, the team that all of the Braves infielders made.
Regardless of whether or not Bryson Stott makes it, the three other infielders being voted as starters is a clear indication of why the Phillies are so good this season. Harper and Turner are known quantities and have been stars for a long time, going back to their days with the Washington Nationals. Bohm has emerged and is on track for a career best season.
Alec Bohm’s development with the Phillies
It has been an interesting few years for Bohm. He debuted in the 2020 season with the Phillies, and in 44 games, he hit .338 with a .400 on-base percentage for a 138 wRC+, according to FanGraphs. That provided optimism heading into 2021 as MLB transitioned back to the 162-game schedule after the COVID-19 pandemic shortened the 2020 season to 60 games.
In 2021, Bohm had a rough season offensively, hitting .247 with a .305 on-base percentage for a 76 wRC+ (100 is league average). 2022 and 2023 were a bit better, as Bohm was more around league average offensively (98 wRC+ in 2022 and 105 wRC+ in 2023). This season, he is putting it all together, hitting .299 with a .351 on-base percentage for a 135 wRC+.
Not only that, but Bohm has improved drastically on the defensive side. He struggled massively in his first four seasons, having DRS marks of -6, -13, -17 and -10. This season, he is at -2 DRA, with -2 OAA. That is not great by any means, but it is an improvement. Given the offensive production, the Phillies can deal with that level of defensive performance.
Hopefully for the Phillies, Bohm can continue at this level of performance and complete what would easily be the best season of his career.
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