WASHINGTON -- Alec Bohm is still here.
He could have been anywhere else on Opening Day. He knows it. Instead, he found himself in a familiar spot, hitting in the heart of the Phillies¡¯ lineup with another opportunity for another big hit in another big spot. He delivered. His two-out go-ahead double in the 10th inning on Thursday led the Phillies to a 7-3 Opening Day victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park.
¡°It¡¯s nice to be back here, back where I¡¯m comfortable,¡± Bohm said.
Bohm¡¯s heroics helped the Phils overcome 19 strikeouts -- the second-most by any MLB team on Opening Day (White Sox had 21 K's in a 12-inning loss to the Mariners in 1996) -- and a blown two-run lead in the eighth. He reacted coolly to the moment as he cruised into second base, having driven in Bryson Stott and Bryce Harper to give the Phils a two-run lead. He quickly motioned to his teammates in the visitors¡¯ dugout before removing the shin guard from his left leg.
¡°It¡¯s a credit to him,¡± Phillies ace Zack Wheeler said. ¡°I¡¯ve been through those [trade rumors], where your name gets out there a good bit and you think you¡¯re gone.¡±
The Phillies tried to trade Bohm in the offseason. They were looking to shake up their lineup, and they figured they could get something for Bohm because he is a talented, run-producing All-Star third baseman who cannot become a free agent until after the 2026 season.
But the Phils couldn¡¯t find a match.
¡°Obviously, they were real,¡± Harper said about the reports. ¡°He had a possibility of going somewhere else. A lot of guys in here, man -- including myself -- we love that kid over there. He plays the game and plays it hard and understands what it takes, man. He just needs to not put pressure on himself too much and just have fun, enjoy what he does.
¡°What a big at-bat for him to come through right there.¡±
It¡¯s not a new thing. Bohm had 97 RBIs in both 2023 and ¡¯24. From 2020-24, he ranked third on the team in Win Probability Added (4.3), behind only Harper (14.2) and Kyle Schwarber (6.3).
It¡¯s why Bohm hits near the top of the lineup. He hit third on Thursday, between Harper and Schwarber. He could hit fourth on Saturday, with Phillies manager Rob Thomson hinting that Schwarber could return to the leadoff spot against Nats right-hander Jake Irvin.
¡°I¡¯ve hit one through nine in my career, I think,¡± Bohm said. ¡°Maybe not ninth, but basically everywhere in the lineup. Wherever you put me, I¡¯ll try to fit in. My approach isn¡¯t necessarily based upon where I hit. It¡¯s a simple kind of approach ¡ runners on, runners not on -- nothing really changes for me. If it¡¯s something over the plate, if it¡¯s a strike, if it¡¯s a good pitch to hit, I¡¯m going to swing at it. If it¡¯s not, I¡¯m going to do my best to not swing at it.¡±
The Phillies and Nationals battled the shadows for much of the game. Gore struck out 13 in six scoreless innings. He allowed only one hit. He walked none. He became just the second pitcher in MLB history with 13 or more strikeouts without allowing a run or a walk on Opening Day.
Bob Gibson also did it in 1967.
Wheeler allowed one run in six innings, striking out eight and walking two.
Harper hit a first-pitch fastball from Nationals right-hander Lucas Sims to straightaway center field for a solo homer in the seventh to make it 1-1. Two batters later, Schwarber launched a first-pitch fastball from Nats lefty Jose A. Ferrer for a solo homer to make it 2-1.
Phillies right-hander Jordan Romano allowed two runs in the eighth, leading to Bohm¡¯s latest clutch moment.
The Phils had runners on first and third with two outs. Nationals left-hander Colin Poche threw Bohm a first-pitch fastball on the outer half of the plate.
¡°Something out over,¡± Bohm said about his approach to Poche. ¡°The guy cuts it pretty good, so obviously didn¡¯t want anything in close to me. Just looking for something out over the plate, and trying to just touch it.¡±
Bohm touched it. The ball left his bat at 109.3 mph, per Statcast. It sailed to the wall.
¡°He¡¯s here with us,¡± Wheeler said about Bohm. ¡°He¡¯s our third baseman. He¡¯s a really good hitter. He¡¯s become a really good fielder, and I¡¯m happy to have him. He¡¯s a competitor. Yeah, I¡¯m just glad he¡¯s with us.¡±