After the Phillies lost both Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber to injury, the club needed someone to step up in their absence. A lineup that had already lost JT Realmuto was starting to run thin and injuries were piling up in Philadelphia.
Luckily for the Phillies, their All-Star shortstop would be able to fill the void. Trea Turner has always been a world-class baseball player and a top guy on every team he has ever played for. With the Phillies, it almost sometimes feels like Trea is just one of the guys, based on the incredible amount of talent the team possesses.
Trea Turner is far more capable of carrying a team than being relegated to “just another one of the guys” and he has put that on display with Bryce and Kyle on the Injured List.
Stars Shine Bright
Since the injuries to both Harper and Schwarber, the Phillies have played 7 games. In those seven games, the club is 5-2, with wins over the Marlins, Cubs, and Braves in that stretch.
Since losing two of their best hitters, Trea Turner has gotten red hot. In those same seven games, Trea is hitting .387 with a 1.194 OPS. He has hit four homeruns, which have come in two multi-homer games. Turner has 10 runs batted in during this stretch and even added a stolen base to his ledger. This is the first stolen bag he has gotten since returning from injury himself.
During this same time period, it was announced that Trea Turner would be the starting shortstop for the National League in the 2024 All-Star game. Turner joins both Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper as starters for the mid-summer classic. This is the first time he will represent the Phillies in the All-Star game and is the first shortstop since Jimmy Rollins in 2002 to start the All-Star for the franchise.
Turner’s Impact
For the Phillies to reach their goal of winning the World Series, Trea Turner is going to have to continue playing like an MVP-caliber shortstop.
When the Phillies’ lineup is at full strength, there are 6 All-Star players, two MVP-caliber stars, and some young developing talent. If Trea Turner hadn’t gotten injured, he might be in the MVP conversation alongside Bryce Harper and Shohei Ohtani.
Trea is hitting .341 on the season with an .895 OPS. His counting stats are hampered by the missed time but he is on pace to still put together a really strong season.
Turner flashed in the post-season last year for the Phillies and if he can play like that once again, the Phillies should find themselves in a position to win a championship. Pairing this with another MVP-like season by Bryce Harper, a breakout year for Alec Bohm, and a dynamic pitching staff, the Phillies are heading down the right path.
Staying healthy and playing their game is all that is in front of this club. Winning the National League East for the first time since 2011 is their first checkpoint. Winning their second pennant in three years will be their second checkpoint. Then finally, winning the World Series will conclude what the Phillies are hoping to be a season to remember.
Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
