DENVER, CO – APRIL 4: Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) warms up before a plate appearance in the first inning during a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 4, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t performed as they hoped this season but things could be turning around.
The team enjoyed a surge in the standings immediately after it parted ways with long-time manager Rob Thomson and promoted bench coach Don Mattingly as his replacement. But ultimately, the chances of making a legitimate run to the World Series as expected will come down to the Phillies’ group of veterans.
With most of the payroll going toward familiar faces like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Zack Wheeler, the Phillies’ fate rests once again with an aging core of tenured stars. For the most part, that group has performed in line with expectations, except for franchise shortstop Trea Turner.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Trea Turner Explains Concerns At The Plate
In the midst of the fourth season of an 11-year, $300 million contract, Turner is batting just .240 — a marked step down from the .304 average that earned him the National League batting title last year. And despite his strong campaign last year, Turner suffered a late-season hamstring injury that raised some additional concerns about the future of his contract.
“Turner has dealt with hamstring strains in both legs the past two years,” Cole Weintraub noted for NBC Sports Philadelphia. “His speed remains elite — 100th percentile sprint speed this past season — but that makes lower-body maintenance essential. Hamstrings tend to linger, and the Phillies will likely manage his workload carefully.”
Turner’s .240 batting average and his .663 OPS are the lowest marks of his career through the first 36 games of a season and his defense has seemed to take a step back so far this season as well, as Matt Gelb pointed out for The Athletic.
Addressing the growing concerns around his performance at the plate, Turner noted that he feels inconsistency is at the root of the problem.
“I go get two, three, four hits in the game, and the next game (have) bad at-bats,” Turner told Gelb. “And then another game, you hit balls hard, and no success. Then, next game, bad. The consistency is just not there.”
Philadelphia Phillies Manager Don Mattingly Offers 2-Word Response On Trea Turner Struggles
To address those concerns, Turner has taken extra batting practice outside and acknowledged the issues head on. Mattingly offered a brief but encouraging take on Turner’s progress.
“Getting better,” Mattingly said, per Gelb. “Anytime guys keep working, and they have ability, it’s going to happen, right? If he wasn’t hitting and not working, it’s different. It’s just believing that when you’re not going good, you can work and stay with it.”
If Turner’s extra work can start to pay off in the batter’s box, it could go a long way in turning around the team’s season and extending the value of his long-term contract.