Feb 20, 2025; Clearwater, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) participates in media day at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck
The story on Trea Turner's time with the Phillies is still being written. His third year in red pinstripes could be where we begin to get a feel for how his 11-year/$300 million deal will ultimately be viewed.
After a roller coaster first season with the Phillies, Turner was an All-Star a year ago, hitting .295 with 21 home runs, 25 doubles, 62 RBIs and an .807 OPS in 121 games. It was very good offensive production, but a six-week absence with a left hamstring strain and some hesitancy to push things when he returned kept him from affecting the game with his speed the way that he normally does.
And while .295 would be a career-year for most players, Turner hit .316 for the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers from 2020 to 2022, which is what earned him a megadeal with the Phillies.
Also of note is that Turner struck out 241 times over 308 games in the two seasons prior to free agency. He's been fanned 248 times in his first 276 games as a Phillie.
So a successful year for Turner in 2025 would be to have him increase his batting average, decrease his swing and miss and wreak havoc on the basepaths. One way to kind of speak such a campaign into existence would be to move Turner to the leadoff spot, an idea he seemed open to earlier this week.
"Yeah, I would like it," Turner said to the assembled media in Clearwater, including Devan Kaney of SportsRadio 94 WIP. "I've always hit one or two for the most part in my career ... hit a little three, but one or two early on. I think it would be fun, be a little different. I've been in that two-hole for a few years now ... [to] kind of get back to a little bit more speed and have that aspect would be fun."
Trea Turner on the possibility of leading off this season: pic.twitter.com/rovBY1KEGF
Turner actually did lead off to open his first season with the Phillies, but that was because Bryce Harper was out as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, so it made sense to move Kyle Schwarber into the middle of the order. As he noted, Turner has hit second for the most part over his first two seasons with the Phillies, between Schwarber and Harper.
But Rob Thomson opened up the door after the 2024 season to the possibility of adjusting the top of the order, and has since said that if it isn't Schwarber leading off, Turner will probably get the nod. The manager has spoken about a possible shake-up enough times now that it's hard to imagine the Phillies won't rearrange the top of the order to begin 2025.
If Turner is indeed leading off, would that force him to adjust his approach at all?
"Yeah, a little bit," Turner said. "I think you take a few more pitches here or there. You know, for me, I think I always looked at it as Bryce hitting behind me so I'm ready to hit type deal. Obviously, they're coming after me, they don't want to face him. So that's kind of how I've always approached kind of the two-hole, just because the three-hole is another great bat. So I've always been ready to hit.
"But I think when you're leading off, I think just that label kind of puts a little bit of perspective on it — the way pitchers kind of approach it," Turner added.
What's interesting is that even if Turner moves to the leadoff spot, he may still be hitting above Harper. If Schwarber moves to the cleanup spot, Harper could remain the third hitter in the lineup, with Alec Bohm likely hitting second in that scenario. But breaking up the lefties and righties would seem to make the most sense, which makes the most likely top four in the order to open the season 1. Turner, 2. Harper, 3. Bohm and 4. Schwarber.
Turner is going to run into his home runs, and when he gets hot, he'll hit them in bunches. But the version of Turner that's going to be most valuable to the Phillies is one who puts pressure on opposing teams by consistently making contact and getting into scoring position. Obviously, you'll take the home runs when they come. But finding a level in between the .295 batting average he posted last year and the .316 mark he logged from 2020 to 2022 would be a massive development for the Phillies. It could allow them to not be quite as reliant on hitting multiple home runs in every game they win.
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