Categories: Features

Alec Bohm, teammates react to his first All-Star nod: ‘It’s all worth it’

Alec Bohm is having a career year. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)

CHICAGO — Alec Bohm was receiving treatment from the Phillies’ training staff when manager Rob Thomson approached him before Wednesday’s win over the Cubs in Chicago. The message was simple.

You’re an All-Star.

“He got a big smile on his face,” Thomson said after the game. “It was almost like, ‘Yeah, I made it. I’m here.'”

Bohm won 70% of the vote to Manny Machado’s 30%.

“It was really cool, obviously, you know?” Bohm said of hearing the news. “One of those things that kinda just makes you think about all the time and all the games you’ve played. All the good ones, the bad ones, all of that stuff. Kinda makes it all worth it.”

The night got better for the 27-year-old. His third at bat as an All-Star was a 415-foot two-run homer, erasing the last lead of the night for the Cubs and giving the Phillies one of their own.

“The cool part about it’s being up 3-2, you know?” Bohm said of whether the news made the big fly even cooler. “But yeah, I guess so.”

Bohm knows his journey to this point has been a circuitous one. He was the Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2020, got demoted in 2021 and hated this place in 2022. He’s OPS’d over 1.000 for a month multiple times and under .600 for a month multiple times.

But big picture, year over year, his growth has been linear. Not counting the shortened 2020, Bohm has improved in most offensive categories each season since 2021.

This latest leap is the one that’ll have him starting at third in the Midsummer Classic.

“It’s all part of it,” Bohm said. “Good times, bad times, all that. I mean — you play baseball long enough, it’s not always gonna be pretty. But a lot of those failures and all that stuff is teaching moments too, you know? Little ways to make yourself better in the long run. I think all of it’s kinda happened exactly how it should. It’s kinda brought me to where I am today.”

His teammates have taken notice.

“Went up to him and said ‘Man, you came a long way. ‘I hate this place’ to, you’re a starter in the All-Star Game.’ It’s pretty cool to watch,” Zack Wheeler said. “Just being around a while now and certain guys — he’s one of my favorite guys to watch. He just has a good-looking swing, plays hard, shows up every day and he plays every day. He’s a team guy and he’s a good human. So it’s cool to see.”

Bohm will share an infield July 16 in Texas with Bryce Harper, who earned the most votes in the NL during Phase 1 of All-Star voting, and Trea Turner, who was named an All-Star on Wednesday along with Bohm.

Turner said it was a goal of his to be in the conversation this year after his tough start to the 2023 season. He called it a 180 from last year, when he had a .687 first-half OPS.

“It’s always an honor. It’s always hectic getting those plans in order, but obviously very appreciative, especially to the fans for getting me in. I know I missed some time,” Turner said. “Especially when you’re all on the field at the same time I think is pretty cool. Having guys show up and make it is cool, but then to share the field is another thing … It’s gonna be a cool day. Cool day for us and a cool day for our fans.”

It’s the third All-Star nod of Turner’s career and the eighth of Harper’s. Bohm is the lone first-timer, so far.

He called his parents after he learned.

“They were happy for sure,” Bohm said. “They’ve been supporting me since I was a child. That’s kinda all they’ve done. Just kinda following me around, this tournament, that tournament, college and all that. They have a lot to do with where I’m at, too. So it’s pretty cool.”