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Phillies don't extend qualifying offer to Alec Bohm as free agency opens
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- Phillies don't extend qualifying offer to Alec Bohm as free agency opens
Phillies don't extend qualifying offer to Alec Bohm as free agency opens originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Phillies did not extend the one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer to Alec Bohm, allowing their longtime third baseman to enter the open market without draft-pick compensation attached.
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Monday's 5 p.m. deadline passed without Philadelphia making the offer. The free-agent market officially opened at the same time, allowing Bohm and the rest of the class to negotiate and sign with any club.
With seven players entering free agency this winter, the Phillies' decision removes one possible path to a reunion with Bohm.
Had Bohm accepted the offer, he would have returned for 2027 at more than twice the $10.2 million salary he earned this season. Had he declined and signed elsewhere, the Phillies would have received a compensatory draft pick after the fourth round because they exceeded the competitive-balance tax threshold.
Now, Bohm can sign elsewhere without draft-pick compensation returning to Philadelphia or a penalty being assessed to his new team.
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As outlined in our free-agent focus on Bohm , the former third overall pick entered the offseason as one of the Phillies' most complicated decisions.
Bohm finished 2026 batting .249 with 15 home runs, 29 doubles, 88 RBIs and a .698 OPS over 155 games. Those totals followed the worst start of his career. He was hitting .159 with a .433 OPS when Don Mattingly gave him two days out of the lineup in early May.
From May 9 through the end of the regular season, Bohm hit .274 with 14 homers, 73 RBIs and a .773 OPS. Extended across 162 games, that production translates to approximately 19 home runs and 99 RBIs.
He remained one of baseball's most effective hitters with runners in scoring position, batting .347 in those situations. He is also one of seven right-handed hitters to drive in at least 85 runs during three of the last four seasons.
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"If Alec is not back with us, those 90 runs he drives in every year will be missed," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said at the Phillies' end-of-season press conference. "You'll have to pick it up in other ways."
The Phillies must weigh that production against Bohm's limited power and defensive value at third base. Bryce Harper will return as their primary first baseman, while Bryson Stott and top prospect Aidan Miller give the organization other possibilities at third.
The decision does not rule out Bohm's return. The Phillies can continue negotiating with him on a multiyear contract or at a lower annual salary.
Bohm made his preference clear after the Wild Card Series.
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"I have no idea what to expect, but I'd love to be back," he said.
Elsewhere, the Phillies announced several moves affecting their 40-man roster Monday. The Giants claimed infielders Brett Harris and Shay Whitcomb off waivers, while catcher Garrett Stubbs elected free agency. Right-handers Brad Keller and Caleb Kilian, infielder/outfielder Felix Reyes and outfielder Johan Rojas were reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
For now, Bohm will test the market for the first time without a qualifying offer affecting it. The Phillies were unwilling to risk bringing him back at $23.15 million. Whether they are willing to retain him at a different price remains unanswered.
