A healthy Trea Turner could be the piece that makes the Philadelphia Phillies the National League’s top contender this October. Turner, who was leading the NL in both batting average and hits before going down with a hamstring strain on Sept. 7, has been making a faster-than-expected recovery. For a team, losing a star this late in the season is always a nightmare scenario, but Phillies manager Rob Thomson’s one-word update — “Great” — captured the optimism surrounding Turner’s progress.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Turner has already resumed baseball activities, jogging at half speed while also taking ground balls and hitting in the cage. With just nine games left on the regular-season schedule, the expectation is that the 32-year-old will get some live at-bats before Philadelphia’s likely first-round bye. The team is even considering bringing in a minor-league pitcher to Citizens Bank Park so Turner can face live pitching in a controlled setting.
Before the injury, Turner was hitting .305 and narrowly holding the league lead in batting average over the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner (.303). He also led the NL in hits with 179, 11 more than Hoerner and Luis Arraez. Milwaukee’s Sal Frelick (.296) and the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (.295) are also close in the batting title race, which could influence how many regular-season at-bats Turner gets before the postseason.
The most important factor, though, is his health for October. The Phillies expect him to be back in time for the NLDS, and a full-strength Turner adds a dangerous dynamic to an already deep and experienced playoff roster. With Turner atop the lineup, Philadelphia’s chances of capturing the pennant — and possibly more — look stronger than ever.