Boasting a nasty starting rotation, the Philadelphia Phillies entered the 2025 season with championship aspirations, and a 7-2 record starting off has done little to temper the enthusiasm.
However, the team is not free from concerns, particularly some recent rocky outings from the bullpen. There is also a bit of a roster crunch going on, as the coaching staff figures out a way to get the red-hot Edmundo Sosa more time in the lineup.
So why not kill two birds with one stone?
Sam Bernardi with Athlon Sports recently suggested a trade that would open up a spot for Sosa, while also addressing the need for a standout reliever. In his proposal, the Phillies would send third baseman Alec Bohm to the San Diego Padres for right-handed pitcher Jeremiah Estrada.
Alec Bohm Has Proven to be Clutch Offensively
GettyPhiladelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm boasts a career average of .312 with runners in scoring position.
Since the Phillies grabbed Bohm with the third overall pick in 2018, he’s been a key piece of the team’s future plans. And for good reason — the guy can hit.
Bohm finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting for the National League in 2020, after hitting .338 during the Covid-shortened season. He has proven to be a clutch performer, boasting a .312 career average with runners in scoring position.
In 2024, Bohm hit .280 with 15 home runs and 97 RBIs, and he also racked up 44 doubles, second-most in the National League. Bohm earned his first All-Star nod, starting at third base for the National League squad, and he was a finalist for a Silver Slugger Award.
However, Bohm’s defense has faced scrutiny. While he has shown improvement, his defensive metrics have occasionally lagged behind league averages, leading to discussions about his long-term viability at third base. This has prompted the Phillies’ management to consider potential alternatives or adjustments to bolster the team’s infield defense.
Edmundo Sosa’s Hot Start Could Make Alec Bohm Expendable
Sosa is one such alternative who has made it nearly impossible for the Phillies to keep him on the bench. Entering the team’s game on Tuesday, Sosa was batting .550 with a 1.321 OPS — and his blazing start could force Phillies manager Rob Thomson to make some decisions.
“We really gotta get him in the lineup,” Thomson told reporters after Philadelphia’s 8–7 win over Los Angeles on Sunday.
Sosa started at third base in that game for Philadelphia. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the win over the reigning World Series champions, but it was Sosa’s hustle on a forceout during a late-game at-bat that proved crucial to the win. He beat out a potential double-play grounder that would have ended the seventh inning, instead allowing the eventual game-winning run to score.
“We’ve gotta really look at this. So far it’s real,” Thomson said of Sosa’s offensive explosion. “Two hits every [start]. He’s played great at third, great at short, [and] did well in center field [Saturday].”
In Estrada, Bernardi wrote that the Phillies would receive “an electrifying reliever with a powerful four-seamer and a ‘chitter,’ his version of a split-finger changeup. It has a devastating drop and is between a Vulcan and a circle change.”
Last season, Estrada appeared in 62 games, going 6-3 with a 2.95 ERA. The 26-year-old struck out 94 batters in 61 innings, and at one point in the season, he set an MLB record by recording 13 consecutive strikeouts.
Phillies Trade Proposal Sends All-Star to NL West for ‘Electrifying’ Pitcher