Staying healthy throughout a 162-game season can be challenging for MLB players. When an injury disrupts progress during the season, it can be tough for players to regain their confidence. Trea Turner recently returned from a hamstring injury, and the Philadelphia Phillies are taking it easy with their All-Star shortstop.
Turner missed 38 games before making his return on Monday. He was in the lineup on Tuesday as well before sitting on Wednesday despite the Phillies being off on Thursday. It was a scheduled day off for Turner so he can get consecutive days off.
The Phillies don’t want Turner's hamstring to become a recurring problem, so they'll get him off his feet now as he makes his way back. He played all 33 games before getting injured in early May. The Phillies only got better while he was out.
Although they're being cautious now, the Phillies do plan on letting Turner loose soon to make sure he can handle a full slate again.
“We'll see how long we can go with him,” manager Rob Thomson said, per the Associated Press.
The Phillies are full steam ahead with the return of Turner and Brandon Marsh. Even though they'll be without catcher J.T. Realmuto until the All-Star break, Philadelphia is set up to continue winning in the second half.
Turner had an insane April after an inconsistent first season in Philly. He had hits in his first two games back and has a .340 average this season. His .835 OPS is his highest since 2021.
Phillies close to 50 wins as injuries halt momentum
The Phillies have stayed relatively healthy throughout the season, and even when they are tasked with playing without a star, they manage to show up on a nightly basis.
While Turner was out, the Phillies gained 6 1/2 games in the division, firmly cementing themselves as the favorites in the NL East. They went 6-3 without Turner and Marsh.
At 49-25, the Phillies' season can go in several different directions. They can get hot again and race toward 100 wins as the National League's top seed. They can play at .500 the rest of the way, win 93 games and claim their first division title since 2011.
Or the worst-case scenario, Philly stumbles the rest of the way, barely keeps pace in the division and has no momentum heading into the playoffs.
As it stands, the Phillies are among the favorites to win the World Series. There's no reason to believe that will change given how they've played this season in every circumstance. Philadelphia finds different ways to win on a weekly basis and provides its fans with plenty of dramatic moments.
The knock on the Phillies this year is that they haven’t played anybody. Over the last few weeks, Philadelphia played several teams in the playoff hunt. Each of the Phillies' last seven series came against a team in a playoff spot or within a game. They are 12-10 in those games.
They aren’t quite on that historic pace they were at the end of May, but the Phillies are still winning at a great clip and remain the NL's best team record-wise. They could be the team to beat in October, although the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves will have something to say about that.
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