1:43PM: The strain is a significant one, as Turner told The Athletic’s Matt Gelb and other reporters that he’ll miss a minimum of six weeks.
12:56PM: The Phillies announced that Trea Turner has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain. Infielder Kody Clemens was called up from Triple-A to take Turner’s place on the active roster.
The placement isn’t a surprise, as Turner’s injury forced him to make an early departure from yesterday’s 4-3 Phillies win over the Giants. In the fourth inning, Turner was on second base when Jordan Hicks threw a fourth ball to batter Bryce Harper, and the ball bounced off catcher Tom Murphy’s glove for a passed ball. Turner hustled down to third base and then all the way home to score on the play, but at a cost, as Edmundo Sosa took over at shortstop for Turner in the top of the fifth.
After getting off to an infamously slow start in 2023 (the first year of his 11-year, $300MM deal with Philadelphia), Turner has been far better in the early going of the 2024 campaign. The shortstop is hitting .343/.392/.460 with two home runs, 27 runs scored, and 10 steals in 11 attempts. A whopping .421 BABIP and a .379 wOBA that is far above his .330 xwOBA indicate that Turner has enjoyed some good fortune in posting his bottom-line numbers, even though Turner’s excellent speed has always led to strong BABIP results.
Turner has been one of the chief reasons why the Phillies have a league-high 22 wins. There’s no easy way for the Phils to replace that production, and the team can only hope Turner’s strain is minor enough that he can return quickly and fully recovered. Sosa will get most of the playing time at shortstop in Turner’s absence, with Clemens stepping into Sosa’s role as the team’s utilityman. Philadelphia could also possibly use Bryson Stott at shortstop and deploy Whit Merrifield more often at second base, though Merrifield is off to a slow start at the plate.
gregorydefelice
Fcuk
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Atlanta showed in the past that they could win without Acuna, now the division-leading Phillies have to show they can win without Turner.
Billg7987
They won last year without Harper. It’s hard to say which loss hurts the team more.
gww4488
They actually didn’t win too much early in the season, and we’re buried by ATLin the standings by the break. This year they are more prepared with 6 SPs who have been really good-Walker + Sanchez, to All Star worthy Turnbull, Nola, Wheeler, to #1 SP in MLB so far in Ranger Suarez. They have Edmundo Sosa who has come in and provided great D & hitting in Turner’s absence, & Clemens has been raking in his few opportunities
dmbphils27
Next man up. #ringthebell
DonOsbourne
Edmundo time!
SanDiegoFriarsDude
Kevin Newman crushes lefties. It’ll be a trade for Newman with Phoenix for Turner’s
Replacement.
DarkSide830
lol
David Kupsick
College teammate of Kingery
Old York
Maybe the tables will turn and the Phillies win the division and the Bravos knock ’em out in the first round.
cpdpoet
I’d like to pass on this option goodsir…..
cpdpoet
This will prove to be a small speedbump in this summer that will lead up to ANOTHER Red October!
JayRyder
This isn’t basketball. This isn’t football. It’s baseball. Why all the injuries ???
SanDiegoFriarsDude
162 games a year is why.
Nosferatu Zodd
Baseball has the most stationary to full speed of any sport. So most of the injuries ate intrapersonal.
CarverAndrews
I hate to see it, but step it up boyz. Every team will need to weather a few key injuries.
While I am not convinced that more of Merrifield will be a good solution, it IS the reason that they paid him over the winter. Might we see Kingery at some point?
YankeesBleacherCreature
Merrifield is Mr. Consistency when he’s on the field. Kind of like IKF when Toronto signed him. Not spectacular but dependable.
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
I think Merrifield is trending downward, and has been since last July or August. Skills erosion, similar to Chris Taylor in LA. I think they’re around same age.
VonPurpleHayes
Merrifield is on a bit of a hot streak. Obviously nothing improved with age except wine, but Whit is still solid.
David Kupsick
Hitting around .400 recently
SanDiegoFriarsDude
As a Padres fan all I can say to this news on Turner is: THANK GOD!
ainteasybeingaphilsphan
Don’t be a D
Cat Mando
Change your screen name SD Dude….. Summer’s Eve would be more fitting.
cpdpoet
COMPLETE upvote for Summer’s Eve…
Cat Mando
Thanks…I figure…..if the bag fits……
I hate when the Phillies are “owned” by another team but I would never wish ill on a player.
JoeBrady
As a Padres fan all I can say to this news on Turner is: THANK GOD!
===========================
Why? I hope you realize that Turner is not in your division.
SanDiegoFriarsDude
Because the Phillies woop our asses every time we play them of late….We can take any help we can get…..
Gwynning
“FriarsDude” – You talk like a fake fan, you smell like a fake fan…
VonPurpleHayes
That’s what’s innnnnn
Gwynning
We deserved that NLCS loss just for that “song” Von, but the icing on the cake was the Phanatic mural. I said out loud “Too soon!” to the artist. They totally jinxed it all.
SanDiegoFriarsDude
Not a fake fan at all. Win or lose I’m behind the Fathers.
SanDiegoFriarsDude
I’m actually the biggest Padres fan you will ever meet.
The least fake. Especially the least fake in this chat room.
VonPurpleHayes
Don’t fear. That awful song is not representative of your fanbase.
Smacky
Maybe the fans should have clapped louder for him?
longines64
Shame it wasn’t Castellanos the boat anchor.
cpdpoet
Really…..?
SanDiegoFriarsDude
Phillies could trade for Kevin Newman to man short stop for the Phillies until he returns in August? Phillies prospect in exchange for Newman to be Turners stop gap?
VonPurpleHayes
No need. Phillies actually have decent depth. Sosa and Merrifield will fill the gaps.
Backup Catcher to the Backup Catcher
Move Stott to short and play Whit at 2B. I like Whit’s bat better than Sosa’s. Can always utilize Sosa’s GG caliber defense later in the game.
YankeesBleacherCreature
Oof. Speedy recovery. Baseball is better with Trea.
Deleted Userr
I know a fairly recent Cy Young winner with a 1.93 ERA in Mexico so far this year who doesn’t have a strained hamstring that they could sign right now for the league minimum…
VonPurpleHayes
SP isn’t a need for the Phils at the moment. Something I never thought I’d say.
douglasb
“he team can only hope Turner’s strain is minor enough that he can return quickly and fully recovered” <- that seems improbable.
GooseGoslinGuy
Be glad it’s only May. Turner was knocked out of 2019 for a while with a fractured finger. He was MIA from April 2 to May 10, a period in which the Nats went 14-21. After he returned, he played great and they won the WS. Kudos to the unheralded Wilmer Difo for taking up most of the other playing time at SS that year.