Phillies Splashy Offseason Acquisition Is Finally Living Up To The Hype
Just a couple of months after falling to the Houston Astros in the 2022 World Series, the Philadelphia Phillies brought in shortstop Trea Turner. The former Washington National and Los Angeles Dodger signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with Philadelphia. As one of the more marquee free agents in all of baseball, the expectations skyrocketed for both the Phillies and for Turner.
The season started off as a disappointment for the team and Turner’s play was inconsistent. He had multiple long hitless streaks and his defensive play even cost the Phillies some games. Turner did show some potential, but a poor series in Miami caused manager Rob Thomson to move him down in the batting order.
When the team returned home, the fans gave Turner quite an unexpected surprise. The entire ballpark gave him a standing ovation for each at-bat during the three-game series against the Kansas City Royals. It helped as Turner hit a home run, two doubles, and four RBI’s in the series win.
His play continued to improve throughout August, which has been beneficial for the whole team. In a weekend game against the Washington Nationals, he hit two home runs in one inning against the same pitcher. Turner followed that up with another impressive play against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night (August 22nd).
The Giants came to Citizens Bank Park right behind the Phillies in the National League Wildcard race. They had a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning hoping to even up the series. Trea Turner came up to the plate in bases loaded situation. He delivered as he hit the ball just past the infield to score two runs and give the Phillies the walk-off win.
It’s been a memorable August for the shortstop. He raised his average from .235 at the beginning of the month to .251 and his slugging percentage went from .367 to .401. He’s gained the trust of the manager having been moved back to second in the lineup. The fans continue to support him as he along with superstar Bryce Harper will be the franchise cornerstones for years to come.
What Is Next For The Phillies?
As of August 23rd, the Phillies (69-57) lead the NL Wildcard race by 3.5 games. The Giants are three games behind the Phillies with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, and Miami Marlins right there as well. Philadelphia will take on the St. Louis Cardinals next. The Cardinals are currently last in the NL Central after making the postseason as a wildcard team in 2022.
There is still plenty of season left, so it will be an exciting playoff push by Trea Turner and the Phillies.
Do you play fantasy sports? Check out Trophy Smack for your next league prize!
If you enjoyed this article, try the SR Original shows on our Youtube channel, and subscribe!