DUNEDIN, Fla. — Opening Day remains to be almost a month away, however Trea Turner is assured he’ll be prepared to choose up precisely the place he left off in 2023 — and that may be an excellent factor for the 2024 Phillies.
Although Turner’s tenure in Philadelphia actually did not get off to a perfect begin, his midseason turnaround in 2023 was nicely documented. The ultimate numbers — he slashed .266/.320/.459 (.778 OPS) — have been nonetheless nicely shy of his profession averages, however for the ultimate three months of the season, there was no query that his manufacturing was precisely what the Phils have been hoping for after they signed him to an 11-year, $300 million deal.
After hitting .247 with a .687 OPS previous to the All-Star break, Turner slashed .292/.348/.554 (.902 OPS) within the second half. He averaged one homer each 18.5 plate appearances following the break, in comparison with one each 39.5 plate appearances earlier than.
Then he slashed .347/.400/.633 (1.033 OPS) with three homers, 5 doubles and 4 stolen bases in 13 postseason video games.
“I really feel just like the swing is sort of the place it was on the finish of final 12 months,” Turner mentioned after going 2-for-3 with an RBI within the Phillies’ 5-0 win over the Blue Jays on Thursday afternoon at TD Ballpark. “I really feel like I discovered quite a bit final 12 months and I’ve sort of carried that over to my work now, and it simply feels good.”
In fact, the feel-good rationalization for Turner’s resurgence following his months-long hunch was that he was willed to success by the impromptu standing ovations from the Philadelphia trustworthy throughout the membership’s collection towards the Royals from Aug. 4-6. Realistically, it is extra doubtless that Turner flipped his season round when he stayed within the batting cages till midnight only a few nights earlier in Miami following a very painful loss on Aug. 2.
Turner had been placing in his standard work, however he realized a few of his processes have been a bit of off.
“These final 40, 50, 60 video games, I sort of found out what all these feels are once more,” Turner mentioned. “They are not fairly there within the recreation but [this spring], since you do not belief them but being so early, however my work’s been actually good, I really feel actually good within the cage and I am seeing the ball very well, which I like.”
Over his closing 70 video games, together with the postseason final 12 months, Turner hit .306 with 19 homers, 13 stolen bases and a .951 OPS. That is a 43-homer, 30-stolen base tempo over 162 video games.
Evidently, the Phillies would fortunately take these numbers in 2024.
“Clearly, it could simply make us that significantly better,” supervisor Rob Thomson mentioned. “They’re at all times going to undergo occasions throughout the 12 months after they don’t have their swing, but when we get him initially of the 12 months that helps us get off to an excellent begin.”
Turner isn’t one to make excuses. He’s fast to shoot down any theories that recommend his gradual begin stemmed from both the strain of signing an enormous contract or from lacking priceless time getting acclimated to his new membership when he was away for the World Baseball Basic final spring.
However it’s solely human nature to assume that one — or each — could have performed an element. Nick Castellanos talked extensively final season about how far more comfy he was in 12 months two after struggling to settle in throughout his first 12 months with the Phillies in 2022. Bryce Harper and his 13-year, $330 million contract can actually relate, too.
“Anyone who comes right here, you begin to get extra comfy in that second 12 months,” mentioned Harper, one in all Turner’s shut associates relationship to their days as teammates on the Nationals from 2015-18. “I assumed he ended up having a terrific 12 months and made some huge performs within the postseason, as nicely. However I feel simply [him] being an increasing number of comfy every day will assist us.”
Getting in a full Spring Coaching is an effective place to begin in 2024 — particularly with a roster that includes most of the identical teammates from Turner’s first season in a Phillies uniform.
“My physique feels good, my protection is feeling actually good, swing feels actually good within the cage,” Turner mentioned. “I simply assume the work I’ve finished within the offseason has helped me already. I simply really feel like I am forward of the place I used to be at [last year].”
