Should the Yankees pursue a trade for this controversial 3B?

11/16/2024 08:46 AM

Alec Bohm is on the trade market according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, and the Yankees’ need for infield help could make them a natural suitor. While no one truly knows who is or isn’t interested in the 28-year-old’s services, what we do know is that the Phillies want to shake things up and believe that Bohm is the kind of player they can move off of. Their interest in third baseman Alex Bregman could give them a natural upgrade, but would the Yankees be better off with a player like Bohm on their roster?

Brian Cashman has had mixed results bringing in players who have worn out their welcome in a city. Nick Swisher was a key part of the 2009 Yankees and was awesome the years following as well while Alex Verdugo was a clunker of a trade that didn’t work out the way they hoped it would. Alec Bohm would be another player on that list, but is he the right kind of player to acquire this winter?

Breaking Down How Alec Bohm Fits the Yankees’ Lineup

Last season will be looked at as a failure for Alec Bohm after a brutal showing the NLDS that resulted in him even getting benched, but his overall numbers were pretty strong. A 115 wRC+ and 3.5 fWAR at third base is something the Yankees would take in a heartbeat, as while those aren’t star-player numbers, they’re firmly above-average and would be an improvement over what they got from either Gleyber Torres or the first basemen the utilized last season.

It wasn’t as if Bohm put up empty numbers either, his +1.51 Win Probability Added was the third-highest mark on the Phillies and he posted a 125 wRC+ in high-leverage situations as well. The way he hit projects well for the 2025 season, with Steamer projecting him for a 112 wRC+, and it’s due to a well-rounded approach that would be viewed favorably in most hitting models:

For those unaware, SEAGER, which is short for SElective AGgression Engagement Rate, a metric created by Robert Orr of Baseball Prospectus that measures a hitter’s swing decisions. Alec Bohm was in the 72nd Percentile in SEAGER this season, and that pairs with a high contact rate and solid quality of contact metrics as well. The Yankees would love to add a well-rounded right-handed hitter to their lineup, and Bohm profiles well for a role in the lower-half of the lineup.

Once a pitching staff got past the Judge-Stanton portion of the Yankees’ lineup, they could immediately deploy a left-handed arm to try and neutralize an offense that only had left-handed power beyond the fourth or fifth spot. Bohm posted a 123 wRC+ and 8.4% K% against LHP this past season, with a career 135 wRC+ and .515 SLG% against southpaws in his career.

Having a stable right-handed bat who should provide above-average production with his bat would be a perfect get for this infield, even after a second-half slump. The notion that second-half or late-season slides are more indicative of a player’s performance than their overall performance is completely misguided and not rooted in reality:

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The Yankees had a good offense last season, but can they really stick their nose up at a 115 wRC+ hitter who looks almost destined to be dealt by the Phillies this winter. Considering this is coming off of a playoff exit and the rumors that there’s more to this than just on-field performance, the Yankees could be getting Alec Bohm at a discount on the trade front. It’s further intensified by their rumored interest in Alex Bregman, who would immediately force Bohm out of Philly.

With the ability to play both first base and third base, the Yankees would get a boost at two positions they could use it in, as Jazz Chisholm can slide over to second base. They have plenty of infield depth behind Bohm and Chisholm in-case of injury or underperformance as well, with Jon Berti, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Caleb Durbin being capable spot-starters if needed.

In terms of the concerns I’d have in trading for Alec Bohm, there are two that standout to me as real reasons to worry about acquiring him.

Alec Bohm was an above-average fielder this season, but he’s consistently been one of the worst defensive infielders in the league. Defense is extremely volatile year-to-year, there was a season where Rafael Devers posted +13 Fielding Run Value and there was a season where Matt Chapman posted 0 Fielding Run Value, but the Yankees do have a pretty good defensive track record with third basemen.

The Yankees do have a good track record with third base positioning as Josh Donaldson and Jazz Chisholm have taken massive leaps on the defensive side of the ball. Bohm may not take that leap with the Yankees, but being a roughly league-average defender would be more than enough if the bat was good. His ability to play first base in a pinch should be useful as well, even if the Yankees acquire a more permanent option at the position.

My other concern has to deal with Alec Bohm’s makeup, as the Phillies seem to be just as fed up with the person as they have been with the player. Many in Philly bemoan his body language, including an incident back in 2022 when he was caught on the broadcast saying that he “hated this [expletive] place”. On Foul Territory, A. J. Pierzynski mentioned hearing about Bohm’s maturity being an issue as well, and this could make him a shaky fit in a market like New York.

I don’t really believe in “not built for New York” but in this case I think there’s a legitimate reason to believe that Alec Bohm would struggle to handle the pressure that comes with being on the Yankees. Perhaps he’s better off being traded to a smaller market team, but if the Yankees can absorb his personality and keep him on track, the production should shield him from the ire of fans.

Alec Bohm was a good player last season. The Yankees could use a good player in their infield. If the price is right, they should 100% explore a trade for him. If he’s bad? There’s no commitment to tender him a contract in 2026 and you can make a change in-season. If he’s good? You have the perfect right-handed bat to split up the lefties and impact the game.

It would be a risk, but the Yankees haven’t shied away from risks before, and Alec Bohm could be the right fit for this offense.