Alec Bohm’s two-day ‘reset’ rebuilt his confidence after a rough start

Don Mattingly pulled Alec Bohm into his office earlier this month and gave the struggling player some advice that may have saved his season: Do nothing.

That night, Bohm didn’t swing a bat, catch a grounder, or even hang around the batting cage as he stayed off the field before watching the game from the bench. The next day, as Mattingly sat him for a second game, Bohm took batting practice but again watched from the bench.

“We had a really good talk,” Bohm said before Tuesday’s game against Cincinnati. “He said, ‘Today, I’d like to not see you touch a bat and just relax. Then we’ll get back to work tomorrow and get them this weekend.’

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“Don has been around a lot of baseball, a lot of really good baseball. He’s seen it all. As much as you can see from a player’s perspective, a coach’s perspective, a manager’s perspective. He’s been on all sides of the game,” Bohm said.

“For him to just reassure all the confidence he has in me and say, ‘I know this isn’t a permanent thing. You’re going to be a part of this group and you’re going to help this group and you’re going to hit.’”

Bohm entered Tuesday with a 1.231 OPS in 37 plate appearances since his two-day sabbatical. He homered on Monday in the Phillies’ 5-4 win and seems to be pulling himself from a miserable start — Bohm was hitting .159 when Mattingly sat him.

“It’s one thing to say I’ve had good stretches and remember I’ve had good stretches in this league before,” Bohm said. “But to see it start to happen and the results a little bit and the work in the cage translate to the field, it’s definitely good for confidence.”

The Phillies entered Tuesday with 16 wins in their last 20 games thanks in part to contributions from players like Bohm and Bryson Stott. Brandon Marsh, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber carried the offense for the start of the season, but they needed others to pull the weight. Stott homered Monday for the second straight game, and Bohm looks refreshed — and Marsh remains steady with a .327 batting average.

“You know what you’re going to get from Kyle and Bryce,” Bohm said. “Those guys have 10-plus years of being the best hitters in the game. Trea [Turner], too. He can change the game in so many different ways. So those top three, you know what you’re going to get.

“When we can start lengthening that lineup like we have lately, that’s when this team starts to click, and it doesn’t have to be Kyle or Bryce coming up with the big homer to save us.”

It’s too early to say Bohm’s slump is over. But if it is, his turnaround started in the manager’s office and with instructions to relax.

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“I’m starting to be more like myself up there and be more dangerous,” Bohm said. “It’s not that one manager can or one manager can’t give you confidence. That’s just who was sitting in the chair that day. It’s not that Rob [Thomson] didn’t think I was going to turn it around. I’m grateful for Rob back in 2022. He took over and gave me the chance to play everyday.

“It just so happened that Don pulled me in, decided to give me a couple days and said, ‘Let’s hit a reset and chill out. Relax for a day or two and go from there.’ It just so happened that I’ve had some good games since then.”

Aidan Miller is beginning light baseball activity, Mattingly said.

Does that mean he’s swinging a bat?

“Light baseball activity,” Mattingly said. “We’re moving in the right direction.”

Miller has been sidelined since spring training with a back injury that has prevented him from swinging a bat. The team’s top prospect, Miller finished last season at double-A Reading, but his progression stalled this year due to his back.

Schwarber missed a second straight game with an illness Tuesday. Turner was the designated hitter, with Edmundo Sosa filling in at shortstop. … Aaron Nola (2-3, 5.91 ERA) will start Wednesday’s series finale against Cincinnati left-hander Andrew Abbott (3-2, 4.21).

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Previous episodes: Aaron Rowand | Hunter Pence | Paco Figueroa | Gage Wood | Scott Boras | Brian Barber | Aaron Nola | Justin Crawford | Garrett Stubbs | Kyle Schwarber