Report: Yankees interested in Phillies 3B Alec Bohm

The New York Yankees reportedly have their eyes on free agent and former Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm, per Jon Heyman at the Post.

Bohm is coming off a fairly forgettable season in Philly. He hit .249 with 15 home runs and 88 RBI and a 90 wRC+, but hit .298 with a .794 OPS after the All-Star Break compared to .215 and a paltry .632 in the first half. Bohm also moved to first base and posted a +1 defensive runs saved (DRS), albeit with a -3 fielding run value (FRV).

Comparatively, at his natural spot at third base, Bohm posted a -10 DRS and -6 FRV.

Given that, how would the Yankees utilize Alec Bohm at his best? He’d be a serious downgrade from Ryan McMahon’s Gold Glove-caliber defense at third, but McMahon’s bat fell off a cliff to a 78 wRC+. Hal Steinbrenner blamed the offense for the team’s failures, and Bohm’s bat alone makes him an upgrade over McMahon, who is all but certain to be DFAd at some point.

There’s also the chance that Bohm, who turned 30 in August, platoons first base alongside Luis Garcia. He has hit .302 versus lefties for his career and is younger than southpaw masher and future Hall of Famer Paul Goldschmidt.

Even better for the Yankees is that Alec Bohm can likely be signed on the cheap, maybe for as few as two or three years. Along with a streaky glove, he has never showcased the power one associates with a corner infielder. His career high in home runs is 20 in 2023.

Nothing is official, obviously, but signing Bohm would be one of the better pre-lockout moves Brian Cashman could make. His rough first half was clearly from him being distracted by some awful off-field family drama. The man did not just become a bad hitter overnight.

But who knows? Maybe the short porches are just what Bohm needs to rejuvenate his career. In a weak free agent class, don’t be shocked if he winds up in the Bronx.