Another AL West Team Reportedly Checked In on Alec Bohm

Managing Editor

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Apr 28, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (28) runs the bases after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Bill Streicher

As trade rumors have swirled around Alec Bohm in recent weeks, two of the teams most frequently mentioned for the All-Star third baseman have been the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros. It turns out a third AL West team could be a fit for him.

Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports that Bohm is among a trio of veteran third basemen who could be traded that the Los Angeles Angels have checked in on, along with Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals and Eugenio Suárez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It's not clear how serious of a suitor the Angels could be for Bohm, but general manager Perry Minasian has already acquired Jorge Soler, Travis d'Arnaud, Kyle Hendricks and Yusei Kikuchi this offseason. It's evident the Halos are trying to improve the team that manager Ron Washington has to work with after a 63-99 campaign in his first season at the helm.

Anthony Rendon on if baseball is a top priority for him:

"It’s never been a top priority for me. This is a job. I do this to make a living. My faith, my family come first before this job. So if those things come before it, I’m leaving."

🎥: @BallySportWest pic.twitter.com/T7VMYyi9F1
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) February 19, 2024

The Angels do have Anthony Rendon under contract for two more seasons, with a $38.57 million salary in each campaign. But over the last four seasons, Rendon has played in just 205 of a possible 648 regular season games. Given his injury history and seeming indifference to the sport, the Angels may have decided they can no longer expect the former All-Star to be at the hot corner regularly.

It's unclear if the Angels have a piece(s) at the MLB level that would move the needle for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies. Left fielder Taylor Ward will turn 31 this weekend, but he has two remaining years before free agency, just like Bohm. Ward crushed left-handed pitching a year ago, hitting .325 with an .873 OPS. He's not nearly as effective against righties — he's a career .239 hitter with a .740 OPS against them — but also isn't unplayable.

Could there be a trade to be made where Bohm heads to Anaheim and the Phillies get Ward to be their primary left fielder? It's at least an interesting concept, but it would leave the Phillies to find another solution at third base, unless they believe some combination of Edmundo Sosa, Kody Clemens and Weston Wilson could fill the position internally.

It should be noted that at the MLB Winter Meetings Phillies manager Rob Thomson relayed a message he had for Bohm during a recent phone conversation between the two.

Rob Thomson said he phoned Alec Bohm on Monday. "I just wanted to let him know that we're not shopping him. But because he's a good player, there's a whole lot of interest in him from other teams, so obviously you have to do your homework and talk to people and listen."
— Scott Lauber (@scottlauber.bsky.social) December 10, 2024 at 1:59 PM

That may be true, but if someone calls the Phillies about Bryce Harper or Zack Wheeler, they wouldn't listen. By all accounts, they are on Bohm.