Top star is projected 10-day stint on the injured list hasn’t slowed down the Phillies’ surge. Fresh off a sweep of the Mets, Philadelphia has tightened its grip on the National League East, with their magic number to clinch the division dropping fast. Though the team has managed to cover for Turner, the injury likely ends his chance at completing a season of historic proportions.
Before going down, Turner was on pace to challenge Ed Delahanty’s legendary 1893 season, when he became the only Phillie to post 100 runs, 200 hits, 15 home runs, and 30 stolen bases while maintaining at least a .300 batting average.
On Sunday, Trea Turner left the game with 94 runs, 179 hits, 15 home runs, 36 stolen bases, and a .305 batting average.
Just a day earlier, Turner’s line stood at 92 runs, 174 hits, 14 homers, 36 steals, and a .301 average — stats that had him closing in on a historic mark. To date, the only Phillie ever to reach 100 runs, 200 hits, 15 home runs, 30 stolen bases, and a .300 average in the same season is Ed Delahanty back in 1893.
If Turner’s injured list stint lasts just 10 days as expected, he should be back for the Sept. 19 matchup against the Diamondbacks. That would give him nine regular-season games to collect six more runs and 21 hits while keeping his average above .300. The Phillies remain confident he’ll be ready before the postseason.
Turner has averaged 0.67 runs per game this year, which means nine games should be just enough for him to reach the 100-run milestone. The question is whether he’ll return at full strength and keep his usual aggressiveness on the bases. Last year, after coming back from a hamstring injury, his speed and run production dipped noticeably. This time, however, the injury isn’t as severe, so there’s a real chance he can still reach the mark.
Turner’s August hitting-streak proves he could get to 200 hits, but it’s a tall order
The bigger challenge for Turner is collecting the 21 hits he still needs. Jimmy Rollins was the last Phillie to eclipse 200 hits in a season, finishing with 212 in 2007, and before his injury Turner was on pace to join him.
So far this year, Turner has averaged about 1.28 hits per game. Had he stayed healthy through September, that rate would have put him right on track for the 21 hits required to hit the 200 mark. With the missed time, however, that same pace now projects to only about 12 more hits, leaving him nine short of the milestone.
That said, it’s not out of the question for Turner to beat the odds. In August, he put together an incredible 10-game hitting streak, batting .522 with 24 hits during the run. As Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer noted, that total was the second-most hits by a Phillie in any 10-game stretch, trailing only Pete Rose.
So while there’s still a glimmer of hope, the reality is that this IL stint has likely derailed Turner’s shot at entering the record books this season.