4:17pm: Turner is slated to undergo an MRI tomorrow, according to a report from Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Turner told reporters (including Lauber) that he hopes his current ailment proves to be milder than the hamstring strain he suffered last year that sidelined him for six weeks, but an exact timeline won’t be known until his test results come back.
2:58pm: Phillies shortstop Trea Turner made an early departure during the seventh inning of today’s game with the Marlins due to what the Phils announced as a right hamstring strain. A throwing error from Miami shortstop Otto Lopez allowed Turner to reach base, but Turner immediately left the field and headed into the Phils’ dugout, and was replaced by pinch-runner Edmundo Sosa.
Manager Rob Thomson will provide more of an update in his postgame meeting with reporters, but it surely looks like Turner is heading for the injured list. The only question now is the severity of the strain, and whether or not Turner’s availability for the playoffs is now in question. Philadelphia entered today’s action with a healthy seven-game lead in the NL East, and with the second-best record of the division leaders, the Phillies would receive a first-round bye if the postseason began today. Securing the bye gains even greater importance for the Phils if Turner needs a few more days to recover.
Losing Turner would be another huge blow to a Phillies roster that will already be without ace Zack Wheeler for the playoff run. Turner has been not just Philadelphia’s best all-around player but one of the top players in all of baseball in 2025 — his 6.5 fWAR ranks fourth in the league, topped only by Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Bobby Witt Jr.
Turner launched his 15th home run of the season today, and the shortstop is now hitting .305/.356/.458 over 637 plate appearances. On top of his 125 wRC+ and 36 stolen bases (in 43 attempts), perhaps the biggest story of Turner’s season is his enormously improved glovework. After posting subpar defensive metrics across the board in 2023-24, Turner has quieted whispers about a possible move to the outfield by delivering +16 Outs Above Average and +2 Defensive Runs Saved from the shortstop position.
Durability has also been a big part of Turner’s production, as he has missed just three of Philadelphia’s games all season. Sosa is the only other player who has gotten any time at shortstop this year, and while the utilityman is a decent replacement, naturally he brings a lot less than Turner in terms of overall productivity. Bryson Stott could also handle some shortstop in a pinch, and Otto Kemp could be called up from the minors to then provide more infield depth if Sosa is taking on more of an everyday role. Star shortstop prospect Aidan Miller is having a big season at Double-A, but it doesn’t seem too likely that the Phils would have Miller bypass Triple-A and toss him into the pressurized environment of a pennant race.
The pickings are slim in terms of external help, as any player acquired off a big league roster isn’t eligible for postseason play. The Phillies can only trade for minor leaguers who haven’t yet appeared either in the Show or on a 40-man roster in 2025, or they can pick up players via the waiver wire. If a team wants to shed some money off the books by designating a shortstop for assignment, the Phils might be more inclined to make a claim if Turner will miss significant time.
Devastating for the Phillies.
Owned.
Everybody PANIC!
Could it be Miller time?
No, they wouldn’t do that. Sadly Rudolpho Castro would be more likely. Especially with the immortal Buddy Kennedy signed w/Toronto.
For Castro to play,the Phillies would have to need a shortstop in the worst way,since Castro is a shortstop in the worst way.
Good luck Trea. Be ready for the Phillies to get thrashed in the playoffs.
“Be ready for the Phillies to get thrashed in the playoffs.”
That usually happens anyway.
I assume you are a New York Mutts fan!
Yes, Mr. Senger!
@BCttBC,
The anger is understandable when you consider the Mets are the Yankees parasitic twin.
@Bluey,
Nicely done! Finding that dark cloud in the silver lining of making the playoffs. Can’t wait to hear your positive spin on missing the playoffs.
Thanks Barty!
Just lost their best pitcher and hitter. Ouch.
What happened to Kyle Schwarber and Christopher Sanchez
Schwarber is far less consistent than Turner and provides, at best, zero defensive value. Sanchez has been quite good, but cannot replace the experience and track record of Wheeler. I fear their title hopes are gone.
Captain, The title hopes would have probably been gone even with Turner and Wheeler still playing. Face it – as a team, the Phils can’t hit good pitching, and too many of the Phils top players just don’t come through in the clutch. Even though he has had the best year in his career, Schwarber is still #5 in all of baseball for runners left on base.
What’s more, every one of the Phils pitchers can be and has been hit this season. That includes Wheeler, Nola, and Duran. So, the Phils’ pitching is not as tight as it needs to be to win a world championship.
Thompson has also chosen a terrible time to create team unrest by not playing Castellanos full time. Castellanos carried the team offensively for the first half of the season, and doesn’t deserve to be treated the way he has been the past few weeks, especially since he’s still under contract for 2026. He speaks his mind, and that has probably rubbed Thompson and the Phils’ front office the wrong way.
Part of benching Castellanos may have to do with the Phils need to shed salary this offseason in an attempt to resign Schwarber. Castellanos may already have one foot out the door, and $20 million, minus the amount of money the Phils will have to send to another team to trade Castellanos, could be put toward Schwarber’s future offer.
Suarez is gone, and Realmuto may be gone as well. So, it would appear to the uninformed that the Phils will have money to burn this offseason, and signing Schwarber should be easy for the Phils to do, regardless of how much he costs.
The Phils are probably already counting on Suarez leaving, but will try to resign Realmuto. However, Realmuto was the pioneer for better catchers salaries, and with his second half performance, it’s doubtful he’ll give the Phils the hometown discount they expect. Realmuto is making $23 million this year and will probably be looking for a $100 million 4-year contract at minimum. He’ll easily get that from another team if the Phils don’t pony up. Suarez is only making $8.8 million this year, but he’ll command a $20 – $25 million a year, multi-year contract from another team as well.
Even if Wheeler doesn’t play in 2026, his salary will still count against the Phils’ payroll and luxury tax issues. So, at most, the Phils will gain $20 + $8.8 + $23+ million, or roughly $52 million if Castellanos is traded without a money requirement, and if Suarez and Realmuto leave.
Unfortunately, guys like Duran, Bader, and most of the Phils’ current starters will be expecting sizeable salary increases in 2026. What’s more, additional outfield help and a replacement for Realmuto won’t come cheap, nor will resigning Robertson who is currently making a pro-rated $16 million salary..
So, will the Phils be able to afford Schwarber after this season? Estimates call for him signing his next contract for as little as $100 million over 4 years to $300 million over 7 years. If the past is prologue, the Phils will be reluctant to extend him for more than 3 years because of his age, inability to play defense, and history of inconsistency, and unwilling to match the offers of big market teams that miss out on the world series this year, but have money to burn and see Schwarber as an upgrade at DH. So, regardless of what you read online or in the papers, the Phils extending Schwarber may be more difficult and unlikely than people realize.
Finally, Dave Roberts criticized MLBs playoff structure last season because it gave the top 2 division winners in each league a first-round bye in the playoffs. Currently, that would be the Brewers and Phils in the NL, and Blue Jays and Tigers in the AL. Specifically, Roberts felt the bye was a disadvantage to teams because they had the potential to lose their momentum and competitive edge during the bye week.
If Roberts is correct, the top teams I’ve mentioned will start the playoffs at a disadvantage. This makes one wonder if a few of the more savvy teams in baseball have been playing well enough to win their division or a wild card this year, but not playing well enough to have the best or second best overall record in their league. Managers can easily control games to position strong teams favorably for the playoffs. So, it will be interesting to see how teams like the Dodgers and Astros do in the playoffs, even though they didn’t finish the season with the best records in their leagues.
I don’t disagree with much of what you say, but would add that if Wheeler is truly lost for 2026 much of his salary will hopefully be covered by insurance.
Captain, His salary has undoubtedly been insured by the Phils. They’re a penny-wise, pound-foolish organization, but not altogether stupid.
A 35 year-old catcher with a sub-100 OPS+ is not getting $100 million over four years 12 minths before a projected lock-out.
Ranger is 30 and I do agree that he might get a multi-year deal at $20+ million per year notwithstanding the looming lock-out.
I do not count the Phils out, but Sanchez and Suarez will have to carry them along with the solo home runs from Schwarbs and Harper.
commenter, As we speak, the projected lockout is just that – projected. So, I’m not sure how much bearing that will have on future contracts. Realmuto is 35, but he’s athletic and still in better shape than most major leaguers. He’ll probably be able to catch full-time 2 or 3 more years, but after that, he’ll be able to play 1B or the outfield, or DH. He may still get the contract I predict. He’ll certainly get better offers than the Phils will be willing to make. Sanchez and Suarez are not enough pitching to carry the Phils, Schwarber is not a clutch hitter, and Harper is not the boy he used to be. I’m a Phillies fan, but the years have taught me to be a realistic one. I don’t see this Phillies team doing very much in the playoffs. Their competition is formidable, better managed, and, unfortunately, a lot hungrier.
I would guess Realmuto gets 3 years/$54 million. If I were the Phillies, I would pay that. They don’t have any better choices for the position, and Marchan cannot handle it.
“the Phils can’t hit good pitching”
Show me a MLB team that can’t hit good pitching, and I will show you a MLB team.
That’s what good pitching means.
Top 100: That doesn’t make sense. Many free agents were signed in the days and weeks before the 2021-2022 lockout. Max Scherzer comes immediately to mind.
Insurance doesn’t reduce LT payroll.
Correct. But it saves actual salary paid.
blue, The teams that have won the series against the Phils this year can hit good pitching. The Dodgers, Mets, and Brewers certainly hit good pitching better than the Phils.
phillies, Realmuto will get 4 years and $100 million from someone. His next contract may involve option years and bonuses, but 4 and $100 is what everything should add up to.
cleaver, No one said it did. Read the posts.
Huge injuries, but hold your horses. Turner may be back by playoff time.
Far worse teams have won the World Series (including the 2008 Phillies themselves, who were worse than this roster even without Trea and Wheeler).
The Phillies have depth. The Phillies have good starting pitching and bullpen. Turner is their most consistent hitter, but they can hit without him. Yes. These injuries make them worse, but every team in the league is flawed. Phils are right there. I just can’t call them a favorite.
The Phillies won series against every team you mentioned.
So you’re telling us that they can’t hit good pitching. Do you have numbers to back that up?
“Castellanos carried the team offensively for the first half of the season, and doesn’t deserve to be treated the way he has been the past few weeks, especially since he’s still under contract for 2026.”
Doesn’t deserve to be treated? Are you for real?
He’s the worst statistical right fielder in the sport and hasn’t done anything since the all star break, culminating in a negative WAR for the season. Cry me a river because he got his feelings hurt. Thompson is doing what he thinks is best for his TEAM, not a player’s insecurities
Casty has not carried the team at all this season. Some people make things up.
Kyle Schwarber is a great hitter. If he’s 5th in “runners left on base,” that just tells you that he’s come to bat with lots of runners on base. And Castellanos has played his way out of an everyday role. Speaking his mind has nothing to do with it. He’s just not that good of a hitter anymore and brings no defensive value.
Calm down, Andy Meyer.
Some team is giving a 35-year-old catcher with three consecutive seasons with a declining OPS a $100 million deal?
I certainly did not mean to imply that it will impact all or even most players. But a 35 year old catcher (if seeking a four year deal), with a declining bat, maybe. Hopefully the owners will drop the cap nonsense since they refuse to make their books fully transparent.
How did Bryce Harper stay out of the conversation that started with “Phillies best hitter”?
onthebucks: You apparently didn’t watch the Mets in Cincinnati over the weekend.
1993-That is a reasonable amount for him but no more.
No GM will give him four years $100M unless he wants to be fired the next day.
They should not be counted out because of their additions at the trade deadline when they revamped their mediocre bullpen.
The best man on their team is Dombrowski.
He led off a significant amount of time so it could say something.
Like many stats the more accurate one would be his rate of leaving runners on base.
Realmuto is making $23 million this year and will probably be looking for a $100 million 4-year contract at minimum.
=====================
No. Not at the age of 35.
onthebucks
Face it – as a team, the Phils can’t hit good pitching,
======================
Do you have something to support that? I’m taking a look at what little evidence I can cull together. The MLB split for OPS against teams .500 is .755/.702. The Phillies splits are .786/.727.
The overall difference is 53 points and the Phillies difference is 59 points. That’s pretty close.
Those are always silly comments. These players get paid tens of millions to perform. The idea that players deserve playing time probably stops after about the 3rd-4th grade.
Hopefully it isn’t too bad hate to see those
Hopefully the Phillies won’t limp into the playoffs.
Get well soon, Trea.
It seems a lock that they win the division (7 game lead with 19 left to play on NYM) and good chance they are second best of the division leaders ( 4 games up on LAD ) and can get Trea another 5-6 days to heal with a first tound bye.
Time for his teammates to keep it going.
1964 says hello.
Go Phils Go 1
“Hopefully the Phillies won’t limp into the playoffs.”
So you say. Plenty of folks won’t mind if they do, lol.
Sheesh. There’s goes my hopes for another fantasy league title.
Me too, bigalcathey.
He was my SB leader and, though I’m first in the SB category now, I’m only ahead of the guy behind me by eight steals. Gonna hurt me in more ways than one because I’m also a Phillies fan.
That’s why I hesitate to pick RS players on my team. And I know some RS fans that intentionally pick Yankee players for the same (opposite) reason.
Got to watch Miller play this past week. Wouldn’t be surprised if he (and Condon from Rockies AA) make it to mlb next year. They both looked like the best players on the field despite not having big games. Always a treat to watch high end talent at AA.
With luck, it’s mild and he returns in three weeks. Truth is, Dombrowski and the Phillies are rolling with many top players in their 30s, when mileage can catch up.
Wheeler, Nola, Harper, now Turner all have been on the IL this year with wheeler lost until at least next June. Harper is probably still struggling with a bad wrist.
The All-Star movement hasn’t worked out for the Phils. Maybe it’s time to go with a youth movement. The Phils already have the nucleus of a young team with a lot of potential. Crawford, Marsh, Bader, and a big right-handed bat acquisition in the outfield; Miller, Turner, Stott, Bohm, and Harper in the infield; hopefully Realmuto or some other hitting catcher behind the plate; Sosa off the bench; and a DH by committee would be a fun team to watch. A running game and more small ball from a highly motivated and energetic bunch of youngsters would be a big improvement over the stale team the Phils have become. This is where the next Phillies championship will come from. Losing Schwarber, Castellanos, and Suarez is all but a foregone conclusion. Realmuto returning is still a toss-up. Hopefully, he does. If not, a young hitting catcher will fit in well with the rest of the kids. Remember the Whiz Kids? This next team may become the Gee Whiz Kids. The G stands for Great.
onthebucks: Bader is 31. That’s not the nucleus of a young team.
Which young hitting catcher of all those that grow on trees are you thinking about?
And the G in Gee Whiz Kids obviously stands for Gee, not Great.
And how does Karen Ballsnatcher fit into the plan? 🤣
Bader is 31. Bobby Schantz is 100. Bader has the kind of spark the Phils need to win games. So do Marsh, Bohm, and Stott who desperately needs to get rid of that annoying walk-up song already.. The Phils will probably resign Bader for 1 season with a 2nd year option. He’s not THE answer in the outfield, but he can help out next season.
Replacing Realmuto will be a challenge, but I’m sure some decent catcher will become available.
Ballbuster is what’s wrong with baseball, Philly, and the world. She’d never be a part of any of my plans. Of course, her pathetic actions allowed some good people to come to the kid’s rescue and shine. Cosmically speaking, you need an action to get an equal and opposite reaction.
I’d bring back JT on a two year deal. Harper to DH/1B as he’s breaking down every season. Call up Crawford. Miller midseason. Consider Rincones and a few others. Turner to left. QO both Ranger and Schwarber. Time to inject a little more youth.
reale, They’ll offer QOs to everyone, but Suarez is long gone, Schwarber is headed to greener grass and the land of brighter lights, and Realmuto is 6 to 5 and you pick ’em. The QOs when they’re rejected will get the Phils compensatory draft picks.
That walkup song is classic. Put down the haterade.
JT would take the QO. No way he gets $23 million on the market, and after another season he’ll still get like two years, $25 million. I don’t think we’ll offer him one. He’d take it.
I realize how QOs work btw.
Therealeman: That’s highly unlikely.
Just 14 players have accepted it since the system was instituted in 2012, compared to the 144 players who have received the offer, indicating a 10% acceptance rate and a low tendency for players to take the one-year deal instead of pursuing a longer-term contract in the free agent market.
I know it’s low. We should offer him like two years, $30 million with a possible vesting third year. But he’d take a QO because he’s in such good shape, he’ll get about what I propose one year later.
Any comment with Ballsnatcher automatically qualifies for best post of the day.
Just like I thought the poster saying that Realmoto would get 4 years at $100 million was way off, same for the poster saying he would take a QO. Realmoto could be maybe two years at $42 million or three years at $57 million. Better to spend the same money per year over more years to bring Ranger back IMHO.
Hasn’t worked out? They’ve made the playoffs consistently after a decade + stretch of not making it. How you view success is very different than how the Phillies do. They’re one of the most winningest franchise over the last 5 years. They haven’t won a world series, but that’s not the only success metric. Phillies are on pae for another 90+ win division winning season.
@von – I bit my tongue when I read the same comment…then again, one has to do that about 90% of the time around here.
Starting in Mackanin’s last season, their year by year win totals (not including the 2020 covid season): 66; 80; 81; 82; 87; 90; 95 and this year on pace for 93 to 95 again. As a long time Phils fan, that is considered to be a very successful trend, along with 3 straight playoff appearance, one WS and two NLCS appearances. You need to get there first, and then you have to hope that it breaks right in the playoffs.
I used to go to a couple of Trenton Thunder games per year when they were affiliated – love going to minor league games to see the kids developing. How is the Somerset park?
I live in CT so I have only been to Hartford. Usually I catch 2-3 games of the Somerset series when they’re in town but this this year was unable. Looking to visit Somerset next season.
Give him 10 days. Calm it down. Sosa is more than capable. Kemp is a good utility tool.
Slide Stott over to short and let Edmundo play second until Trea comes back.
Seems like all the contenders are getting really bad injury luck lately
Except the Mets who are getting outrageously bad performances from their veteran starters and a couple of relievers.
Moff: Correction. All TEAMS. Injuries are and always have been a fact of life.
Losing a guy like Trea is not realistically something you can overcome for an extended period of time, He might not be Cooperstown level of player by the end of his career (still plenty of time to add to that resume) but hes certainly Hall of very good as we speak and you dont just replace this caliber of player so late in the season. Hopefully its just precautionary and turns out to be nothing more than some rest will take care of and that someone can step up and do their best impression of him until hes right.
Really too bad to hear the all-time honerunt king is injured.
Wishing Trea a super speedy recovery! Get some rest Trea and come back for the playoffs! Go Phils!
Just stay far away from Phillies Karen, Trea. You don’t want any peace of that.
After all, she’s a ballsnatcher.
This is terrible news, but Sosa is a capable replacement. Turner has had a great year. I bet on him with pretty long odds to win the batting title, and certainly wish I had bet more as he leads the race by 8 points.
6 points now but I think your bet is safe as 2nd place Frelick doesn’t walk enough.
It is really wild that he is the only player (who qualifies for the batting title) in the NL who is hitting .300 right now
That’s crazy!! I have to wonder if that’s happened since the changes to the mound in 1969.
Other than the fact he plays for the Phillies, I love Trea Turner. He never really wanted to leave DC. Of all the trades the Nats have made since 2021, hearing Turner included in the trade to the Dodgers hurt the most.
Even if Ruiz and Gray had completely worked out for the Nats, it still (emotionally) wouldn’t make up for the loss of Turner. I love the way he plays the game. Hopefully, this injury isn’t too severe and he’ll be back on the field soon.
Yes, I wished that the Nats hadn’t traded him
I also wished that we would have kept Scherzer too
Trea won’t get 200 now.
We have to do a better job in the training room.
It looks like Turner will win the batting championship while on the Injured List. He’s the only NL player hitting above .300 and with so many at-bats in the books already, it is hard to move the BA number much.
Bring up Aidan Miller if there are no MI available off waivers.
The Nats might put DeJong on waivers. Maybe the Pirates cut ties with Bae? Rox may put Orlando Arcia on waivers? Tyler Fitzgerald of the Giants? I doubt the Reds would put Lux on waivers, but that’s a possibility because they have a ton of infielders. I like all of those more than Otto Kemp.
Sadly, we’ve already missed out on Kim (Braves) and Kiner-Falefa (Blue Jays).
But my first choice would be Aidan Miller. Wouldn’t be the first guy to get promoted from AA and take off once he’s in the majors.
1500 home runs took a toll on him