Alec Bohm was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2020, an All-Star in 2024, and a free agent this winter. The past couple of seasons have seen Bohm’s offensive numbers dip slightly from a .280/332/.448 in his All-Star 2024 season to .249/.325/.383 this season for the Philadelphia Phillies. As a free agent this offseason, Bohm could seek a change of scenery to reignite his offense.
That change of scenery could come from the St. Louis Cardinals. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote that the Cardinals are “open to a short-term starter at third.”
Why Could The St. Louis Cardinals Work
St. Louis is in the midst of a true rebuild after trying to keep the team afloat in John Mozeliak’s twilight years. They have homegrown products working their way through the minor league system, but none of the options that are currently at the major league level have blown St. Louis away performance-wise.
Nolan Gorman, a former top prospect in the Cardinals‘ farm system, has not lived up to the hype. Hitting 27 home runs in 2023, Gorman has not breached the 20-homer mark since. Combine that with his average dropping to .184 this season. Given the Cardinals’ value of defense, Bohm’s -10 defensive runs saved, the worst by a qualified third baseman, might turn them away.
Bohm is also second-worst in outs above average by a qualified third baseman. He was moved off the position when the Phillies traded for Luis Arraez during the summer. If he does not want to return to Philadelphia, the Cardinals could be a perfect spot for him to build up his value for a season.
Cardinals Top Prospect Jesus Baez Is Coming
Some people might ask why the Cardinals would not go for a longer-term option at third base instead of a one- or two-year filler. The answer is down in Springfield with the freshly renamed Ozarks Springbirds.
Jesus Baez, the Cardinals return for Ryan Helsley from the 2025 trade deadline. Baez has torn up the minor leagues in his first full season in St. Louis with 39 home runs across two levels and finished his season in AA. He hit .283 in the minors and .316 in 59 games at AA. He may be a shortstop for now, but with Masyn Winn manning the position, much like JJ Wetherholt, he may need to move to a different spot on the infield.
With Baez working his way through the ranks and looking like the possible answer at third base, the Cardinals want to exhaust that option before looking at a long-term answer elsewhere. St. Louis’ youth is on their side in terms of payroll flexibility, which could open the door for president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom to find an answer on the market in a different offseason.
Bohm is not the flashy answer, but he might be just what the Cardinals need to buy the remaining time to develop Baez and continue to push the team toward a competitive window.
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