The Philadelphia Phillies hold an MLB-best 38-18 record. Philadelphia is finding ways to win on a consistent basis. In fact, they have continued to earn victories despite the absence of All-Star shortstop Trea Turner.
Turner suffered a strained left hamstring in early May and is currently on the injured list. He has received various updates since enduring the injury, and the Phillies are hopeful that he will return in either early or mid-June.
Turner previously suffered a “minor setback,” according to MLB.com. The shortstop reportedly felt soreness in his leg and the Phillies opted to postpone his baserunning drills. However, Turner is now feeling better and wants to get back to his normal recovery strategy. MLB.com shared a quote from Phillies manager Rob Thomson about the situation.
“He’s looking to push. We’ve got to hold him back,” Thomson said of Turner.
The fact that Turner wants to move things forward is a positive sign. The Phillies are proceeding with caution, however. Philadelphia is playing a quality brand of baseball at the moment and there is no reason to rush Turner's recovery. MLB features a long 162-game season and we are not even in June yet. Having Turner healthy for a potential playoff stretch run in September and October will be of the utmost importance.
Of course, Turner is expected to return well before then. Barring any further setbacks, Phillies fans can expect to see Turner playing shortstop at Citizens Bank Park once again in June.
Phillies' Trea Turner close to returning from injury
Turner is one of the best players in the sport. He can hit, run, and field at a high level. Turner is not the best defensive shortstop, but he is more than capable of handling the position. He is, however, one of the best pure hitters and fastest players in the game.
Turner has led the league in stolen bases on two separate occasions. He most recently swiped 30 bags in 2023.
For his career, Turner is a .298 hitter. He gets on base at respectable level and often puts the ball in play. Turner also features what may be referred to as sneaky pop from the right-side of the plate. Fans don't typically think of Turner as a power threat, but he has hit 21 or more home runs in three different seasons during his career.
In 2023, Turner crushed 26 home runs. His career-high is 28, which he accomplished back in 2021.
For much of his career, Turner was arguably the most underrated player in MLB. Playing with the Washington Nationals did not always lead to the most national attention for him. He immediately began to receive far more attention during the Nationals' 2019 World Series run. Turner was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021, which obviously increased his popularity as well.
He ended up joining another big market ahead of the 2023 campaign, as he signed with the Phillies. Turner is now regarded as an MLB superstar and everyone knows how talented of a player he is.
The Phillies will need him to return and stay healthy moving forward in order to continue to compete with the best ball clubs in the National League.
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