Alec Bohm’s worst experience as a pro could have helped create an All-Star route.
On Wednesday night, Alec Bohm was selected the National League’s third base starting for the 2024 All-Star Game. Shortly after receiving the news, the former No. 3 overall choice hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning, propelling the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
The occasion was significant for Bohm, especially since he earlier declared he “hated this place,” alluding to Philadelphia and the fan support that not
only voted him into his first All-Star game but now cheered him from the Wrigley Field seats, just 668 miles away from the City of Brotherly Love.
While the enormous hit on his big day and the reaction it elicited may have felt like a watershed moment for both sides, mending fences occurred much earlier, and it may have stabilized the third baseman’s route from probable bust to cherished All-Star. In 2022, Bohm revisited his unfortunate on-field words directed at the Philadelphia crowd, which has been a recurring topic during his breakout year. However, many people forget what happened right after the horrible episode.
During a game against the New York Mets, Bohm made several egregious errors before earning sarcastic cheers from Phillies fans after making a routine play later in the game. He made his thoughts on the jeers clear enough for even the worst lip-reader to comprehend, saying, “I f—— hate this place” in response. Instead of running away from the situation, he acknowledged the comment and offered an explanation and a sincere apology after the game.
“I said it,” Bohm remembered. “Do I mean this? No. I apologize for that; emotions just got the best of me.” The hardnosed Phillies fans responded emotionally the next night, giving Bohm a standing ovation as he took his maiden at-bat.
After demonstrating accountability, Bohm was able to focus on baseball, and the fans in the seats had a renewed affection for their third baseman. That season, he recorded 13 home runs and 72 RBI, the most in his major league career to date. Since then, he has only improved. In 2023, he made new career highs (20 home runs, 97 RBI) and is expected to do it again in 2024.
Following the Phillies’ win against the Cubs on Wednesday, Bohm leads the National League with 70 RBI. Meanwhile, he is slashing in addition to hitting 11 home runs.299/.351/.494 with a.845 OPS are career highs by a significant margin. Before joining the Phillies, Bohm clearly has the skills to be a productive professional player. However, he struggled to find his footing during his first full season with the team, and it’s impossible to say what would have happened if he had handled the issue differently just two years ago.
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