Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports
How Will the Phillies Address Third Base in the Offseason?
While the Philadelphia Phillies continue their hunt for a playoff berth, it is hard to overlook the troubles that lie ahead. So many question marks surround the future of this team, and things they thought had been fixed at the beginning of the 2020 season have shifted and become some of their biggest challenges.
Following his impressive rookie season, Alec Bohm was set to start in the hot corner for the Phillies and continue his success in 2021. Bohm lasted 111 games with the team this season, but was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in late August due to his underwhelming year.
Bohm’s .254/.302/.342 season shows a significant regression compared to last year, and his .936 fielding percentage is well below the league average. For all we know, it could be a sophomore slump, but in professional sports you can never count on speculation, especially in a playoff race.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Since Bohm’s demotion, the Phillies have resorted to a platoon at third base. Freddy Galvis and Ronald Torreyes have split time at third, bringing inconsistency to the position. While it may be their only option for the remainder of this season, it is a clear elephant in the room that will need to be addressed for next year.
Phillies President of Baseball Operations, Dave Dombrowksi, is entering his first full offseason with the team this fall. Dombrowksi is known for his win-now attitude and doing whatever it takes to get his team to the World Series. He did it with the Miami Marlins in 1997, the Detroit Tigers in 2012, and the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
Given what we know about him, Dombrowski is likely to make a big splash in free-agency this year as he knows the team has already built a strong nucleus with players like Bryce Harper, JT Realmuto, and Rhys Hoskins. It is only a matter of time before he adds news pieces to the team but with slim pickings at third base in free agency, Dombrowski only has so many options.
With a laundry list of talented shortstops entering free agency after the season, the most ideal option may be to sign an All-Star shortstop and keep Galvis as your everyday third baseman. Both his plate production and defense have been significant improvements compared to Bohm and he wouldn’t need to elevate his game too much if the Phillies grab an impactful shortstop.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
If the Phillies don’t go in that direction, there are only so many options that remain. Kris Bryant would be the most desirable player to fill in at third, but he will come at a significant cost if he doesn’t decide to stay in San Francisco or reunite with his former team the Chicago Cubs. Eduardo Escobar will be a free agent after this season as well, but he will be entering his age 33 season next year and despite receiving his first career All-Star honors this season his numbers at the plate (.250/.311/.474) tell me he is only worth it on a low-cost deal.
A big move at third base may not be the answer for the Phillies this off-season, but the ability to retain consistency at third and the resources to improve at other key positions will help boost their chances for a deep run in October next season.
Make sure to follow Inside the Phillies on Facebook and Twitter!
