Mar 31, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Alec Bohm (28) in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports Eric Hartline
USA Today's Bob Nightengale presented a trade idea in his column Sunday that would see Alec Bohm dealt to the Houston Astros for the reliever who closed out the 2022 World Series against the Phillies:
"If the Astros lose Alex Bregman in free agency, you can be assured that Phillies president Dave Dombrowski will be immediately on the phone offering Bohm for Astros reliever Ryan Pressly – who’s being extensively shopped."
The read here is that this was more speculation on Nightengale's part, as opposed to a concrete report that this is what the Phillies 100% plan to do in the event that Bregman departs the Astros and they have a need a third base.
Obviously, it would be malpractice not to call the Astros if they lose Bregman, which appears to be a real possibility. Earlier this week, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported that the Astros offered Bregman a contract "worth around $156 million" over six seasons, but that he "is believed to be seeking a deal closer to $200 million, which would likely price out the Astros." Though you can make a case that Willy Adames was as or even more attractive of a free agent as Bregman, he landed a seven-year/$182 million deal from the San Francisco Giants Saturday. With that context, it seems hard to imagine Bregman signing a six-year/$156 million deal.
So the Astros may very well be looking for a third baseman in the near future, and adding Bohm into a lineup that would still include Yordan Álvarez, Jose Altuve and Kyle Tucker would give Houston an option to fill needs both at third and first base. All that makes sense.
The problem is while the Phillies may be aiming too high with Bohm — they probably aren't going to get a frontline starting pitcher in return for him — they also aren't going to give away a player with two years of control left for a soon-to-be 36-year-old reliever. Pressly recorded 90 saves for the Astros between 2021 and 2023, including as mentioned above saving their World Series win over the Phillies in 2022. He makes sense as a trade candidate that the Phillies would consider, just not for Bohm. He would be a reliever you are only guaranteed one season with and he's due $14 million, as opposed to Bohm, who MLB Trade Rumors projects will make $8.1 million in his penultimate year of arbitration eligibility. Even if the Astros paid down some of Pressly's salary, that wouldn't be a fair swap.
Chas McCormick!!!!! OH MY WORD!!!! pic.twitter.com/qMGbgxSGTV
What would be an interesting concept is if the Astros were willing to trade Pressly and outfielder Chas McCormick for Bohm. McCormick — a native of West Chester — had a disastrous 2024, posting just a .576 OPS. However, the prior year, McCormick hit 22 home runs, drove in 70 runs and posted a 3.3 WAR across 115 games, per FanGraphs. And Phillies fans know all too well about his ability to navigate the outfield at Citizens Bank Park. With two remaining years before free agency himself, the 29-year-old McCormick is the type of player that would make sense as a target if the Phillies and Astros were working on a Bohm trade.
Report: Phillies One of the 'Favorites' to Land Roki Sasaki@2008Philz has the latest details. https://t.co/1vdCeTgcHG
