Phillies Roster: Alec Bohm left off qualifying offer list

The Philadelphia Phillies have long managed their payroll with a focus on flexibility, a strategy that came into sharp relief during the recent free agency period. On Monday, the organization finalized its roster moves by deciding not to extend a qualifying offer to third baseman Alec Bohm. The team missed the 5 p.m. ET deadline for the eight players who received such offers, leaving Bohm to enter the open market without a contract in place for the 2027 season.

A qualifying offer would have guaranteed Bohm a salary of $23.15 million for the next campaign. By declining the offer, the Phillies forfeited the right to receive a draft pick if Bohm signs with another club. This marks a shift from the previous winter, when the team received compensation after Ranger Suárez accepted the offer and subsequently signed with the Boston Red Sox. In that instance, the financial protection was less valuable because Suárez was expected to reject the deal. With Bohm, the risk was higher, as the 30-year-old had a realistic possibility of accepting the one-year contract to continue playing for the same club.

The decision reflects the club's urgent need to address deficiencies in the outfield and bullpen. Managing the payroll with a committed $23.15 million contract for a player who finished 2026 with a .698 OPS and 0.2 WAR, according to FanGraphs, presented a financial challenge. While Bohm remains effective at driving in runners, the statistical dip in his overall offensive production made the long-term commitment harder to justify. The organization could not afford to lock in that salary while still seeking major upgrades in other parts of the lineup.

Bohm is now free to negotiate with any team, and the Phillies will not receive draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere. Dave Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations, addressed the situation in a press conference last month. When asked if the team was actively moving on from Bohm, Dombrowski noted that it was too early for a definitive statement. "Well I wouldn’t say that we’re moving [from] anybody at this point. It’s too early to make that unequivocal statement. We’ll have to see how everything meshes together," he said.

Dombrowski acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the veteran’s future. "If Alec is not back, I just would say he’s done a good job for us. He works hard. He’s gotten a lot of big hits. And it’s amazing sometimes when you look at a player day in and day out, sometimes you look more at the negatives than you do the positives. There’s a lot of positives and I know that if he is not back with us, those 90 runs he drives in every year will be missed, and we’ll have to pick it up in other ways. But he’s a guy who has done a good job, solid job for us."