The New York Yankees are heading into spring training with the same roster gap they had at the end of the 2024 season. While they boast a strong squad—arguably the best in the American League—they lack a clear starting third baseman. Technically, they have one, but he’s already penciled in at second base.
As Opening Day nears, the prospect of an Oswaldo Cabrera/DJ LeMahieu/Oswald Peraza platoon at third has fans clamoring for a bold move—specifically, a splashy Alex Bregman acquisition.
However, given Hal Steinbrenner’s payroll preferences, the idea of adding Bregman on top of securing Max Fried and absorbing part of Cody Bellinger’s contract never seemed realistic.
One team that could have aggressively pursued Bregman? Dave Dombrowski’s Philadelphia Phillies. Though they were never seriously linked to the former Astros star, his acquisition would have aligned with Dombrowski’s tendency to make bold moves and his stated desire for a lineup shakeup following the Phillies’ disappointing postseason exit against the Mets.
With the Dodgers soaring past everyone and both New York and Atlanta strengthening their rosters, Philadelphia’s core now seems to be trailing.
Alec Bohm may have been an All-Star in 2024, but Bregman brings a different level of impact and perfectly fits the Phillies’ style both on and off the field. Dombrowski reportedly explored trading Bohm, though talks ultimately stalled—perhaps even briefly considering a “Bohm for Mason Miller” swap with the A’s, whose front office was both caught off guard and in flux.
With spring training approaching, it’s surprising that Philadelphia never made a serious push for Bregman—and that the Yankees didn’t seize the opportunity to land Bohm in the aftermath.
It’s kind of weird Phillies didn’t go for Alex Bregman, trade Alec Bohm (to Yankees)
That’s typically how things go for the Yankees, right? Their self-imposed financial limits keep them from competing for top-tier free agents, but they often end up with the player another team had to move after landing their preferred target—the classic Josh Donaldson-Carlos Correa scenario.
Alec Bohm, who once infamously said he “f***ing hated” Philadelphia before growing into a key RBI producer, struggled in the second half following the Home Run Derby but still finished with 97 RBIs and a 117 OPS+.
His offensive game has steadily improved (OPS+ of 101 to 107 to 117), and while he’s not a superstar, he’d be a more reliable option than the in-house choices the Yankees are currently planning to start with—unless the market shifts in the coming weeks.
The real surprise is that the Phillies didn’t make a strong push for Alex Bregman, rather than the Yankees relying on internal solutions. Still, Bohm seemed like a great fit for the Bronx, yet he was never seriously considered. It’s unfortunate the Yankees never had the chance to negotiate with Dave Dombrowski and get past the Mason Miller-level asking price.
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