The Philadelphia Phillies have already been busy getting things for the 2027 season after being eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card Round this season.

They will still have Sam Fuld in the front office after he took his name out of the running for a job with the Athletics. There is a new manager in place, retaining Don Mattingly after he led the team to a 79-55 record as the interim manager after replacing Rob Thomson.

His staff is starting to come together after hitting coach Kevin Long and infield coach Bobby Dickerson were not retained, with former New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza being hired to take over as infield coach.

Soon, attention will have to turn to improving a lineup that didn’t live up to expectations in 2026. One of the biggest decisions will involve Alec Bohm, who is hitting free agency. If it were up to him, he would come back to the Phillies.

Alec Bohm hopes to be back with Phillies

“I have no idea what to expect, but I’d love to be back,” Bohm said, via Cole Weintrab of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold with the veteran corner infielder. His newfound versatility, with the ability to play third base and first base, will certainly expand his market in free agency.

However, with Philadelphia, he would be relegated to playing third base because the team is going to go with Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber at first base and as the designated hitter. With star prospect Aidan Miller waiting in the wings, the Phillies are in a tough spot because third base may be his long-term home.

This is where Bohm wants to be and see things through to the end.

“I feel like we have unfinished business here. I want to be a part of this. I want to get it done, for sure,” the veteran infielder added.

Bohm isn’t the power hitter Philadelphia is seeking for their lineup, but he is a bona fide run producer. After a historically poor start to the 2026 season, he still ended up with 88 RBI. He has two campaigns with 97 RBI on his resume, a proven commodity as a right-handed hitter.

The Phillies could certainly use more players who have Bohm’s approach at the plate. He showed a willingness to work counts with a 7.6% walk rate, the highest since his Rookie of the Year-winning 2020 season.

Bohm doesn’t strike out much either, something that Mattingly wants to see more of from his lineup moving forward. But fitting him into the lineup is easier said than done. A one-year qualifying offer could be best for both sides, giving him another year to prove himself while not blocking a potential path to the Major Leagues for their top prospect.