Rob Thomson’s decision not to bench Alec Bohm pays off for Phillies

KANSAS CITY — With runners on first and second base and one out in the bottom of the first inning Sunday, Royals’ catcher Salvador Pérez rolled over on a ball to third base that looked like a tailor made double play for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Instead, Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm just stepped on third base for the second out, having clearly thought there were already two outs. The inning stayed alive, but luckily for the Phillies, LHP Kolby Allard induced an inning-ending groundout to shortstop from the next batter, Freddy Fermín.

Still, Bohm’s mental mistake kept the inning alive, something that’s particularly dangerous when you don’t have one of your aces on the mound and are playing a team that’s currently in playoff position. It’s the type of thing that would have gotten a player benched in a previous era, or at least that’s the perception some have.

So why did manager Rob Thomson choose to keep Bohm in the game?

“Because he’s one of the better players on the team, and I spoke with him after that happened and told him those things can’t happen,” Thomson said postgame. “And you gotta wake up or we’re gonna do something else.”

Thomson was rewarded for his decision, as Bohm went on to have a big game, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk. That, coupled with the best day of Garrett Stubbs’ career, helped the Phillies to earn a series-clinching win over the Royals.

For Bohm, it was likely an especially memorable performance given that he’s from Omaha, Nebraska and played collegiately at Wichita State. This was the first time in his career that he’s played in Kansas City, which essentially amounts to a home game for him. He had large contingents of friends and family at Kauffman Stadium all weekend.

While playing in front of friends and family can be exciting, it can also cause some guys to press. Bryce Harper consoled a visibly frustrated Bohm on the bench during Saturday’s win. Bohm went just 1-for-9 over the first two games of the series, including an 0-for-5 performance Saturday. Does Thomson think he may have been pressing?

“Well, I don’t know about the family, but I know that he cares about getting hits and helping the team and he gets frustrated,” Thomson said. “And you can’t take your at-bats out on the field with you.

“This is my saying, you’ve gotta get lost in the team,” Thomson explained. “You gotta do whatever you can to help the team win. Whether it’s playing good defense … if you get on base, run the bases well … back up bases … just get lost in the team.”

As it turned out, Bohm was able to “get lost in the team,” and proved to be a key cog in an 11-3 victory for the Phillies. Bohm and the Phillies pounded out 16 hits Sunday, and 45 overall in their three-game weekend series in Kansas City. It was a very welcome sign after they managed just 13 hits total in their three game series against the Atlanta Braves earlier this week.

Bohm’s in-game turnaround is a reminder that while there is a place for punitive action, that’s not always the best course of action. Thomson didn’t let Bohm off the hook for his early mental mistake, but sent his message without yanking the third baseman from the game. And that feel was a major reason the Phillies won Sunday.

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