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Third baseman Alec Bohm could be nearing a return to the Philadelphia Phillies lineup.
The Philadelphia Phillies may soon be closer to whole.
Manager Rob Thomson said Sunday that third baseman Alec Bohm, who has been out since July 18 with a fractured left rib, is nearing a return to the Phillies’ lineup.
“He’s hitting in the cage. … He’s getting close now,” Thomson said via Philly Sports Network’s Cory Nidoh.
The Phillies (63-48) entered Monday’s series opener against the Baltimore Orioles holding a half-game lead atop the National League East.
How Did Alec Bohm Get Injured?
The 29-year-old Bohm was injured on July 12 when he was hit in the ribs by a pitch from Yu Darvish during a game against the San Diego Padres. Bohm later exited the game and sat out the next day — the final game before the All-Star break — but returned to the lineup to start the second half.
After an initial X-ray came back negative, Bohm underwent further tests that revealed a fracture. Bohm was placed on the injured list on July 19.
At the time, Thomson estimated that Bohm could miss three, maybe four weeks.
Thomson did, however, acknowledge via MLB.com’s Paul Casella that he “hates putting timelines on anything,” leaving open the possibility Bohm could return sooner.
As he ramps back up, Bohm is said to be pain-free again. According to Thomson, Bohm fielded ground balls and hit in the batting cage prior to Sunday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. A rehab assignment may be just around the corner.
How is the Phillies’ Lineup Producing?
A fixture in the Phillies’ lineup, Bohm is slashing .278/.324/.391 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 92 games.
Since Bohm has been absent, the Phillies have been mixing Edmundo Sosa and Otto Kemp at third base. Both have produced in moderation, but the Phillies obviously wouldn’t mind having Bohm’s bat back on an everyday basis.
Last season, Bohm hit .280 with 15 homers and drove in 97 runs, matching a career-high from 2023. His 44 doubles were tied for fourth-most in the majors. He agreed to a one-year, $7.7 million deal this past offseason to avoid arbitration.
The Phillies took two of three games from the first-place Tigers over the weekend to reclaim the division lead, and they are 8-7 since the All-Star break.
They rank ninth in the majors in runs scored (516) and 12th in home runs (129) — numbers that should only improve with Bohm back.
Douglas Bonjour is a breaking news contributor covering the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy. He is also a contributing writer for The Associated Press and has worked for Point Spreads, the Connecticut Post and Hearst Connecticut Media as a reporter and editor. More about Douglas Bonjour
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