GDT 4/9/25 Philadelphia Phillies (Walker, T) @ Atlanta Braves (Holmes, G)

[Austinfan]

Bohm hasn't hit since the first two months of last season. Don't think he'll be back next year.
I expect an extension for Sosa at some point.

Sosa and Rojas goofed, but they didn't make Wheeler walk a batter then give up a HR.
Wheeler was off. I wouldn't give up on Sosa as an OF.

Walker was also a bit off with his command, his stuff looks solid, but like Nola, if he's not hitting the edge of the plate he's an adventure, though his FB is now good enough to throw at the top of the zone and catch hitters by surprise.

[donaldorc]

Tonight's game might be dealing with strong thunderstorms in the Atlanta area.

[zambonir]

Bohm hasn't hit since the first two months of last season. Don't think he'll be back next year.
I expect an extension for Sosa at some point.

Well, I never bought Bohm as a repeat All-Star or certainty to be brought back in 2026, but I hope he's not another Maikel Franco either. If he doesn't at least get back to being a 105-110 OPS+ player Sosa's not really the answer this year. He could be an answer next year (in combination with Miller, Turner and a free agent LF) but extending him is still a difficult proposition if he wants to be a starter (and paid like a starter) from 2027 on. Better to let someone else get his over-30 years unless he's happy being a well-compensated bench guy (because the Phillies can certainly afford that, and the value of it is clear).

[andyb]

Moving Bohm down to 7th in the lineup tonight. I also don't like the 3 lefties in a row 8,9,1. Might as well have let Bohm hit 8th and move Stott up to 7th.

[zambonir]

At least Schwarber is killing them.

There was once again talk the team was unhappy with Bohm' demeanor before the Sunday off-day. They were winning games and he was only focused on his slump. But patience is the Thomson way.

As Zolecki notes here as well

Let's not forget that Bohm had 97 RBIs in 2023 and 2024. He was an All-Star last year. I think he's a really good hitter. It's been 10 games. You've really got to give him time to find his footing. Remember last year: Nick Castellanos was terrible the first several weeks of the season. He was batting .183 with a .489 OPS on May 5! But then he got turned around, and he was one of the team's best hitters the rest of the way. Back then, everybody was saying how Castellanos should be benched, etc. Good thing Thomson stuck with him.

https://www.mlb.com/phillies/news/phillies-reddit-ama-with-reporter-todd-zolecki

[andyb]

Yeah but RBIs are a function largely of the guys ahead of Bohm in the lineup. He is a good hitter. Just not a great one and the defense is still below average. I think he'll bounce back but he is still probably a guy with a 750-780 OPS without enough power to be dangerous. Both he and Castellanos are in that gray area of being average when the Phillies don't currently have anyone better to replace them with.

[Austinfan]

Schwarber is going to be extended, he reminds me of Thome in that he's made adjustments as he's aged and is actually a better hitter than when the Phillies signed him. Given his age, his position and his situation, I don't think he'd break the bank on a 3 year deal.

[zambonir]

Oh I didn't share that quote because of what Zolecki said about Bohm's ability, only because it reminds that Thomson tends to stick with guys, whether fans are clamoring for "a day off to clear his head" or a benching. Same went for Casty in 2022 and Turner in 2023 and now it goes for Marsh and Kepler too. It also did for Merrifield and Hays... until it didn't. But the patience and loyalty is part of what makes him the manager he is.

If Wilson comes back Marsh and Kepler can play less. And if Bohm truly flails we'll see a little of Sosa or Wilson. For now though, when does Clemens get a start?

According to Rosenthal Schwarber already turned down the Phillies' off-season offer. So long as this continues (or if the Phillies hope to take him off the market) he's going to get a raise and he's going to get four years.

[andyb]

For now though, when does Clemens get a start?

If Bohm has a few more bad games Clemens will get a start against RHP over the weekend. Clemens has done nothing wrong. He is just not really needed at the moment.

[zambonir]

I guess what I was really saying there was, "if not now, when?" But that comes back to the loyalty thing. Bohm already sat Sunday and to leave him out of the line-up of a key division road game,, well, he probably wouldn't take that well.

[andyb]

Weekend vs St. Louis should give that opportunity.

[allentown]

Especially since Castellanos started last season far, far worse and got his wish to start every game. Not sure that RBIs are simply a function of the guys in front of the hitter. We've seen a lot of Phillies hitters come up this year with RISP and do squat. They all had multiple guys on base, regardless of whom was batting in front of them. Last season Bohm was the guy who delivered with RISP at this time of the year. To say he cooled off in the second half is an understatement and, along with this year's slow start, suggest that opposing pitchers have developed an approach to successfully neutralize him. Hopefully the coaches and Bohm are actively pursuing a counter to that. I don't get the manager's disappointment with Bohm being overly focused on his failures.

[zambonir]

The rumor - at the time he was benched in the playoffs more than now - is it was the other players, not the manager. Obviously they still love him as a teammate but saw it as immature and selfish. I remember when Paul O'Neil was known (and hated) for that.

I agree that Bohm has a bit of an RBI flair built into his game when he's going good. But so does Casty. They are both free-swingers. Bohm at his best can hit more for average Casty hits more for power.

I don't think Casty started far worse though. I mean, Bohm has three weeks to prove otherwise, but he's hitting like Garrett Stubbs right now.

[allentown]

In what, 10 games?

[zambonir]

Agreed. Except that it's not really 10 games, it's 10 games now and a whole lot more last year. I hope he turns it around... ideally as well as Nick did last year. Bohm was also pretty badly hurt it sounds like, and being healthy/pain-free is not the same thing as regaining your swing and rhythm. Phillies need both of them in this lefty-heavy line-up, not Weston Wilson or Sosa.

[dcsman]

According to Rosenthal Schwarber already turned down the Phillies' off-season offer.

I think I missed this. I'm actually not convinced the Phils should keep him but that's more about the years of a potential deal. I'm certainly glad he's on our team now! Was there any speculation as to what the offer was and/or why it was turned down?

Depending on how the season shakes out, I could see moving on from Schwarber, Realmuto, Bohm, and Marsh.

[zambonir]

I hadn't caught it either

Vlad Guerrero, Blue Jays finally agree to an extension. Plus, the Giants are...

Kyle Schwarber. The Phillies offered him an extension during the offseason, but after an initial proposal, talks failed to advance. Schwarber was content going year to year after turning down an extension with the Cubs early in his career. And while he wants to stay in Philadelphia, he’s also content playing out his free-agent year. He will be 33 next season, but surely would be in demand on the open market. Since 2022, only Aaron Judge has hit more home runs.

[BostonRoss]

I would have to say at this point that Bohm's start is not as bad as Castellanos's last year. Alec could have a .600 OPS for the next 20 games and still be well ahead of Nick's 2024 pace.

[zambonir]

Fortunately the Phillies had Bohm to pick up the offense last year and they have Casty to pick up the offense this year.

Last year on April 10 Nick was .428 OPS, with his lowest point before that 358, and there would be other lows to come before he finished April at .521.

Alec was indeed far better than Nick to start this year, but has had to be that much worse over the past week-plus to drop his OPS from 1.000 (day 1) and .955 (day 2) to .372 (as of tonight's ABs with possibly one more out to come?). But we have seen what he can do when he gets hot, I have faith he can finish April above .521!

[zambonir]

When this game resumes, it'll be Aaron Bummer for Braves and Carlos Hernández for Phillies. Hernández has not pitched in 12 days.

— Matt Gelb ( @mattgelb.bsky.social ) April 10, 2025 at 11:25 PM

Do I want to stay up for that?

(Gelb predicted he would pitch tonight, not sure it was supposed to be late in a 1-1 game).