Alec Bohm steps into cleanup role as Phillies push NLDS to the brink
Alec Bohm’s October has taken a timely turn. Less than 24 hours after a crisp all-around effort in Los Angeles, the Phillies’ third baseman is slotted into the cleanup spot for a pivotal Game 4, tasked with extending Philadelphia’s revival and pressuring a Dodgers staff that finally blinked. It’s a subtle but telling elevation for a hitter whose contact skills and situational awareness have sharpened as the series tightens.
Bohm’s bat finds the moment
The immediate storyline is simple: Bohm’s quality at-bats are translating into leverage. His firm single to right in the fourth inning of Game 3 catalyzed a momentum swing—Bryce Harper scored on an outfield error, Bohm advanced, and the inning snowballed. The swing wasn’t loud, but it was surgical: quick to the zone, line-drive intent, and placed where the defense couldn’t control the damage. That’s the Bohm profile the Phillies bank on in October—shorten up, move traffic, and let the sluggers detonate behind him.
Philadelphia’s staff trusts that approach enough to bump him into the four-hole for Game 4. The calculus: Bohm protects Harper from aggressive pitch-around tactics, punishes strike throwers who try to get ahead early, and keeps the chain moving for the bottom half. Expect him to see a steady diet of first-pitch strikes and soft stuff away; his willingness to take the opposite field matters more in this slot than pure pull power.
Quiet defense, loud impact
Bohm’s glove seldom grabs headlines, but his leaping snag in the fifth inning of Game 3 stole a hit and, more importantly, stole tempo. In a series where extra outs feel like free runs, that play compressed the Dodgers’ margin. The footwork has been cleaner, the transfer faster, and the internal clock calmer than in prior Octobers. When his first step is decisive, Bohm converts tough liners into outs—and the Phillies feed off the clean innings.
The cleanup experiment: what it changes
Moving Bohm to cleanup tweaks the series’ chessboard:
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For Philadelphia: Harper will still hunt damage, but he can accept walks knowing Bohm is behind him to cash in. With Brandon Marsh and J.T. Realmuto following, the lineup suddenly stacks left-right balance through the heart.
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For Los Angeles: Expect earlier spin and more back-door breaking balls to Bohm, plus infield positioning shaded up the middle to take away his two-strike singles. If the Dodgers don’t finish him with two strikes, pitch counts will balloon.
Bohm’s last 2 games at a glance
| Game | Key Plate Appearance | Outcome | Defensive Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 3 (Oct 8, LA) | 4th-inning single to RF | Run in on error; later scored on sac fly | Leaping catch at 3B ended a budding rally |
| Game 4 (Oct 9, LA) | Cleanup assignment | Run-producing contact prioritized | Double-play turn execution spotlight |
Dates are local to Los Angeles; in Cairo, those fell early Oct 9–10.
Why his approach plays in October
Bohm’s postseason value isn’t about tape-measure shots; it’s about contact under duress. He expands less with two strikes than he once did, trusts the right-center gap, and has grown comfortable letting the game come to him. In a series increasingly defined by bullpen matchups and defensive precision, that profile travels. A single that moves Harper two bases is worth as much as a moonshot when your own rotation is keeping runs scarce.
What to watch next
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First-pitch swing decisions: If Bohm hunts hittable heaters early, he can short-circuit the Dodgers’ plan to steal strikes.
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Opposite-field traffic: Right-field liners are the tell that he’s on time and refusing chase.
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Hot corner poise: One early clean pick can set the tone and keep Philadelphia’s pitching script intact.
Alec Bohm doesn’t need the spotlight to swing a series—he just needs the game to find him. With the Phillies’ season hanging in the balance, they’ve placed him squarely where it will: fourth in the order, in the middle of everything.
