Philadelphia Phillies fans have watched with concern as Alec Bohm struggles through the early weeks of the 2026 season. After opening the year as the team's cleanup hitter, the 29-year-old third baseman has since been dropped in the batting order—but the change hasn't sparked a turnaround at the plate.

Through nearly a quarter of the season, Bohm is hitting just .159/.227/.206 with an OPS+ of 21. Those numbers are a far cry from what the Phillies expected when they penciled him into a premium spot in the lineup. But while fans might be growing restless, manager Don Mattingly remains steadfast in his belief that better days are ahead.

Mattingly gave Bohm Thursday off, but made it clear this wasn't a benching—it was a reset. "I encouraged him not to hit today because he's been working so hard, hitting extra all the time," Mattingly explained before the game. "You can never tell a guy you have to not hit because you still would use him today. It encourages him to take a reset day from the standpoint of grinding, grinding, grinding, take a step back and get back after it."

The skipper's message was clear: sometimes the best thing for a struggling hitter is to step away, breathe, and let the extra work settle in. "He's gonna hit, and I'll believe that till the day I'm not on this earth," Mattingly said. "We're gonna need him to be himself. He's gonna get a lot of big hits for us. You guys are gonna forget what happened in May when he's hitting down the stretch and driving in runs."

History supports Mattingly's confidence. While Bohm may never reach the consistent All-Star level some fans hoped for, he's posted a wRC+ above 100 in four of his six big-league seasons. His current numbers simply don't align with the hitter he's proven to be. For a team with postseason aspirations, getting Bohm back on track isn't just important—it's essential. And if Mattingly's faith is any indicator, the turnaround is only a matter of time.