Phillies Make Wrong Choice Not Giving Alec Bohm the Qualifying Offer

The Philadelphia Phillies missed an opportunity to retain Alec Bohm without a long-term pact.

Sep 18, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Alec Bohm (28) during the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies were one of the teams that had an interesting decision to make when it came to qualifying offers.

The team has seven players who are free agents, but only one who should or could receive any consideration for the qualifying offer: third baseman/first baseman Alec Bohm. Second baseman Luis Arraez could have been a candidate, but because he was traded midseason, he isn’t eligible to receive one.

Bohm, who finished the season on a high note, was the only player the team likely gave any thought to extending the $23.15 million qualifying offer to. However, the deadline to make a decision was Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. ET, and the team decided not to extend him one.

According to Spencer Nusbaum and Johnny Flores Jr. of The Athletic (subscription required), eight players received the qualifying offer: Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki, Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena, Milwaukee Brewers infielder Jake Bauers, Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Brandon Lowe, Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, New York Yankees closer David Bednar, Baltimore Orioles starter Trevor Rogers and San Diego Padres reliever Adrián Morejón.

Phillies decide not to extend qualifying offer to Alec Bohm

Sep 30, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Alec Bohm (28) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves in the tenth inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Those players will now have until Nov. 17 to decide whether or not they want to sign the one-year contract, which is based on the average salary of the top 125 players in MLB. If they decline, they will become free agents. Should they sign deals with another franchise, the team they depart will receive draft compensation.

For the Phillies, not extending an offer to Bohm was the wrong decision to make for a few reasons. First and foremost, they now run the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency. All it takes is one team to want him badly enough to put his price tag out of Philadelphia’s range.

Given the versatility that he has shown defensively, teams can view him as either a third baseman or first baseman. While not a true power hitter, he is a proven run producer, something the Phillies already needed more of, especially from the right side of the plate.

By not extending him a qualifying offer, it will almost assuredly require a multi-year pact to bring him back. That is something the Phillies have to think long and hard about because of their current roster construction.

Eight players have received the $23.15M qualifying offer. They will have until 4pm ET on November 17th to either accept or reject their qualifying offers.

If they reject it, they will become a free agents and their former club will receive a compensatory draft pick pic.twitter.com/3WNhOQ2dNp

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 2, 2026

Bryce Harper is locked in at first base, and the plan is for Kyle Schwarber to spell him for about 30 games. Third base remains open, for now, but that could ultimately be where Aidan Miller calls home in the Major Leagues; blocking him by signing Bohm to a multi-year deal would be a poor use of assets.

A one-year qualifying offer would have avoided blocking Miller, giving the team one more year of insurance just in case. And had Bohm declined it in search of a multi-year pact, not a one-year balloon contract, Philadelphia would have been able to add some draft capital to upgrade a farm system in need of talent.

Now that Bohm is a free agent, another void could be created in the lineup this offseason. Extending him a qualifying offer wouldn’t have guaranteed he would be back, but it would have at least given the Phillies a bit of a safeguard and some compensation if he did decide to depart.

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