Trea Turner, the Philadelphia Phillies’ shortstop, suffered a Grade 1 hamstring injury on September 7. He was able to return for the last regular-season game. Turner is still thought to be healing from his injuries as he waits for his turn in the 2025 MLB playoffs.
Turner faces a difficult struggle with a persistent injury, such as a hamstring issue, that will last until October, but he will do his best to play through it. No MLB player is 100 percent going into the postseason, especially after a long and rigorous season, but Turner may have limits in the NLDS.
Trea Turner’s speed could be key to Phillies’ playoff success, if he’s fully healthy
Turner’s return to game play in 2024 was delayed due to a Grade 2 hamstring injury. Turner reduced his thefts upon his return before resuming his usual fast pace.
Granted, Turner’s latest injury is less severe, but will he be able to recover soon enough to use his game-changing speed? Fortunately, the Phillies earned a first-round bye, giving Turner plenty of time, but it will be a serious concern heading into Saturday.
Turner won the NL batting title this season with a.304 batting average, but it was his speed on the base paths that made his 2025 season an overall success. He had 31 doubles, seven triples, and 36 stolen bases in 141 games, his most since 2018. Turner was also the fastest player in the majors by sprint speed, according to Statcast. He was a menace this season, and he will rightfully receive MVP votes this year.
The other concern is that Turner may re-injure himself while attempting to create plays. The Phillies want Turner to go loose and create havoc on the base paths, but losing him entirely would be the worst-case scenario.
He took it easy in his two at-bats in Sunday’s season finale, jogging lightly between his two ground outs to minimize discomfort, according to MLB.com’s Paul Casella.
“I knew if I was going to hit a ground ball somewhere, I wasn’t going to do anything stupid,” Turner told Casella. “Sunday was more about going out there and experiencing it again. More about seeing pitches and playing defense. I didn’t learn much on defense, but the at-bats felt nice. I knew if I struck anything, I wouldn’t go insane, as I might have.”
Phillies supporters will be concerned about Turner throughout the postseason, including the NLDS. The Phillies want Turner to step it up faster, and the prospect of a World Series championship should inspire him. There’s no assurance he’ll escape another injury if he pushes himself to the limit. He and the training staff will be the most knowledgeable, thus it appears to be well worth the effort.
Turner has been a tremendous offensive threat throughout his career. Even at the age of 32, he can dramatically change the mood of a game. He’s one of the quickest players in the game and one of the Phillies’ most prized assets. Turner understands that participating is a risk, but he is also aware of the potential payoff for himself and his teammates at the end of the month.