Phillies Receive $30 Million Prediction in MLB Free Agency

The Philadelphia Phillies are entering a pivotal offseason in which they must address some glaring issues, and one of them is third base.

Alec Bohm is hitting free agency this winter, and the Phillies will have to decide whether or not they want to retain him.

While Bohm has been an overall disappointment in Philadelphia, there aren't really any other options on the open market outside of Teruaki Sato, who may prove too costly for the Phillies. So could Bohm end up back in the City of Brotherly Love?

Jim Bowden of The Athletic feels it's a possibility, pitching Philadelphia as one of the top three fits for Bohm this offseason (the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Angels represented the other two).

But the most important part of Bowden's synopsis was Bohm's contract projection, which he pegged at two years and $30 million.

That would actually be a very reasonable price for Bohm, and I actually do think the Phillies would be very open to doing that.

Bohm slashed .249/.315/.383 this past season, but it should be noted that those numbers were skewed by a putrid March and April when the former first-round pick posted a .426 OPS.

After the All-Star break, Bohm was actually very productive, batting .298 with a .794 OPS. He also ended the year with 88 RBI, one more than Bryce Harper. It's also worth noting hat Bohm batted a terrific .347 with runners in scoring position.

I get it: Bohm is boring. He doesn't have much pop for a third baseman, and he is a subpar defender. But again, what else is out there?

Sato is a pedestrian defender himself, and there are some who feel he might not even stick at the hot corner long term. There are also questions as to whether or not his bat will translate to the MLB level.

At the very least, Bohm is a serviceable hitter with a lifetime .735 OPS, and he has mashed lefties to the tune of an .853 OPS throughout his career.

Perhaps the Phillies can re-sign Bohm to an affordable short-term deal like Bowden mentioned and then bring in another bat to platoon with him.

That would allow Philadelphia to bridge the gap to top prospect Aidan Miller, who could be ready to take over at third base rather soon.

Bohm won't be anyone's favorite solution, but he could comprise the best option for the Phillies at third this winter.