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Shortstop Trea Turner is one of the most-coveted free agents in this yearâs Hot Stove season, and itâs not difficult to see why. Turner is one of the best-hitting middle infielders in todayâs game, hitting for an .809 OPS while hitting 21 home runs and driving in 100 runs. Moreover, Turner stole 27 bases (out of 30 attempts), showcasing the rare combination of power, speed, and defense at one of baseballâs most difficult positions.
And with the recent reports that have come to light, it seems likelier than ever that heâll land with the Philadelphia Phillies, the 2022 World Series runner-up.
According to The Athleticâs Ken Rosenthal (subscription required), the Phillies possess three advantages that make them a more appealing destination for Trea Turner in free agency. These advantages stretch from geographical to relational.
âAs a member of the [Washington] Nationals, Turner was a teammate of Bryce Harperâs from 2015 to 2018 and of Kyle Schwarberâs for the first four months of 2021. He thrived under hitting coach Kevin Long, who was with the Nats for four years before joining the Phillies last season. And his wife, Kristen Harabedian, is from Flemington, N.J., a drive of about 51 miles from Philadelphia,â Rosenthal wrote.
These advantages track with earlier reports from MLB Networkâs Jon Morosi, who deemed the Phillies as âfavoritesâ to nab Trea Turner from the Los Angeles Dodgers. And with the Phillies franchise reinvigorated by their run to the last seasonâs Fall Classic, they may not hesitate to break the bank to add a player of Turnerâs caliber.
Moreover, there is plenty of room for improvement over the Philliesâ incumbent shortstop, Bryson Stott. Stott hit for a .653 OPS last season while splitting 127 games between short and second base. Thus, Turner will be such a huge upgrade, and it appears the dominos are falling in the Philliesâ favor with regards to their pursuit of the All-Star shortstop.