Calm Like a Bohm

Alec Bohm (PHI): 3-4, 2B, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.

It hasn’t exactly been an ideal start to the 2026 season for Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm.

Back in March, Bohm sued his parents for apparent misuse of his funds. The case has carried over into the regular season, with his parents apparently living in a vehicle during the legal dispute, according to a recent Forbes report.

To make matters worse, the 29-year-old former Wichita State product has struggled on the field, especially at the plate.

In 145 plate appearances, Bohm is hitting .177 with a .518 OPS. He has three home runs, nine runs scored, and 19 RBI in 36 games. Not only would his batting average be a career low if the season ended today, but his OPS would be as well. In fact, his OPS is 222 points behind last year’s mark and 129 points below his career low in 2021.

On Saturday, it seemed like he took a step in the right direction.

In a 9-3 win over the Rockies, Bohm had three hits, two home runs, a double, and four RBI. Thus, two of his three total home runs for the year came in Saturday’s game alone.

The plate discipline has still been there for Bohm. He ranks in the 85th percentile in chase rate and 84th percentile in whiff and strikeout rate. However, his batted-ball metrics have been less than stellar. Even after Saturday’s outburst, he still ranks in the 27th percentile in hard-hit rate, 7th percentile in xSLG, and 3rd percentile in barrel rate. For Bohm to have any kind of turnaround, those metrics have to see improvement.

The Phillies have been a mess to begin the year, which is a reason why they fired manager Rob Thomson after a 9-19 start. They have been 9-3 since Don Mattingly took over as skipper, so a turnaround has been happening as a team.

Perhaps Saturday is a step in that direction for Bohm to have his own rebound at the plate, like many of his Phillies teammates.

 

Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday

 

Brandon Valenzuela (TOR): 4-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI.

The Blue Jays scored 14 runs in their win over the Angels, so there are plenty of players to celebrate. However, one in particular is Valenzuela, the Blue Jays’ 25-year-old rookie catcher. Valenzuela has stepped up in Alejandro Kirk’s absence, hitting .246 with four home runs and a .780 OPS. On Saturday, not only did he launch his fourth home run, but he also collected four hits and four RBI to boot. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s utilized when Kirk returns.

 

Miguel Vargas (CHW): 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.

The White Sox got another win, improving to 18-21. Vargas was a key catalyst in the win, with two hits, both home runs, and three RBI. He’s only hitting .228, but he has a .369 OBP and .840 OPS, making him a better option in leagues that utilize OBP or OPS instead of average. He also has nine home runs and six stolen bases, making him a sneaky 20 HR-15 SB candidate this year, at the very least.

 

Ernie Clement (TOR): 5-5, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI.

I already highlighted a Jay earlier, but Clement’s line was too hard to ignore. Against the Angels, he had five hits, scored three runs, collected two RBI, and hit his second home run of the year. Clement’s power is always going to be a question mark (1.4% barrel rate; 25.9% hard-hit rate). However, he’s hitting .299 and posting a .741 OPS in 160 plate appearances. He’s a good option for fantasy managers in need of batting average.

 

Brandon Lowe (PIT): 2-4, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB.

Remember, there were concerns about Lowe’s hitting profile translating to PNC Park? Well, Lowe hasn’t missed a beat with the Pirates. He’s hitting .269 with a .953 OPS, and on Saturday, he had two hits, including a double and a triple, and four RBI. For the year, he has 10 home runs, 22 runs scored, and 24 RBI. Lowe is proving to be one of the most productive second basemen in fantasy baseball this year.

 

Kyle Stowers (MIA): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.

After starting the year on the IL, Stowers has been working to get back to that 2025 form, which helped him earn a spot in the All-Star Game. On Saturday, he had three hits, two RBI, and hit his first home run of the year. That multi-hit performance improved his average to .239 and his OPS to .663 in 75 plate appearances. The Marlins are 18-22 and play in a tough division with an Atlanta team that is cruising. A productive Stowers would help them close the gap.

 

Brent Rooker (ATH): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB.

It hasn’t been a hot start for Rooker. He’s only had 99 plate appearances due to suffering an oblique strain back in early April. He’s returned, but his numbers remain meager. He is hitting .195 with five home runs and a .652 OPS. On Saturday, he not only collected his latest home run but also three RBI. The barrel rate is nice (17%), but he’s whiffing (40.7%) and striking out (34%) at horrific rates. For his surface-level metrics to improve, he needs to see some drops in those whiff and strikeout rates.

 

James Wood (WSN): 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB.

The Nationals are holding off the Marlins by one game in the NL East. Wood gave them a chance with two hits, a double, and his 11th home run of the year. He’s hitting .243 this year with a .921 OPS, 11 home runs, and seven stolen bases. He’s pretty much a fantasy stud with the exception of batting average. However, with such good home run and stolen base numbers, fantasy managers who roster him can live with the lower-than-desired average.

 

Josh Jung (TEX): 3-4, HR, 2 R, RBI.

The 8th-overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, Jung is finally living up to the hype after a disappointing 2025 season (.684 OPS). In 148 plate appearances, he is hitting .319 with an .891 OPS. On Saturday, he had three hits and launched his fifth home run of the year. Jung hits the ball hard (47.7% hard-hit rate), launches it well (40.4% LA Sweet Spot%), and doesn’t strike out often (16% K%). He could be pushing for his second All-Star Game appearance and first since 2023.

 

Byron Buxton (MIN): 2-5, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.

The Twins are pretty meh, but Buxton remains a fantasy wagon. He’s hitting .255 with an .860 OPS in 170 plate appearances. On Saturday, he launched his 13th home run of the year and had a double as well. He has 29 runs scored and 20 RBI and remains a main focal point of this Twins lineup, which has gotten through its share of ups and downs in 2026.