Trea Turner’s Journey: How a $300 Million Shortstop Is Trying to Get Back on Track

What Happened Before Saturday’s Game?

Imagine you make a small mistake at school, and you want to practice so it doesn’t happen again. That’s what Trea Turner did.

• A few hours before Saturday’s game in Philadelphia, Turner found his infield coach, Bobby Dickerson.
• Turner said: “Let’s do some hand work today.”
• Why? Because Turner made an error (a mistake fielding the ball) on Thursday.

Here is what they did:

1. After 1 p.m., Dickerson put foam kneepads on the grass.
2. Turner strapped a paddle to his left hand.
3. Turner did fielding drills with the paddle.
4. He did the drills again without the paddle (barehanded).
5. He took full infield practice at a high intensity (really focused and fast).

Important Point: Turner asked for extra practice himself. Nobody forced him. This shows his strong work ethic.

How Did Turner Play on Saturday?

Turner played shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies in a 6-1 win against the New York Mets.

• He started the game with a hit (an infield single).
• He scored a run after Kyle Schwarber hit a home run.
• In the 5th inning, Turner hit a solo home run (a home run with no one on base).
• In the 6th inning, he walked (got to first base without hitting) and stole a base.
• In the 7th inning, he hit another single.
• His OPS (a number that shows overall hitting success) went up to .663, the highest since May 6.
• But he also made an error on a routine ball in the 2nd inning.

Important Point: One mistake did NOT ruin his whole day. He still had a great game on offense.

What Is Turner Saying About Himself?

Turner said something interesting:

• “I feel like when I try to be perfect, it just kind of sets me backwards. And I’ve just got to be who I am.”
• He was talking about hitting, but it connects to fielding too.

Turner is a “$300 million shortstop.” That means the team paid him a lot of money to play that position. Because of that:

• People expect a lot from him.
• He bats first and plays shortstop, so all eyes are on him.

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said:

• “When he’s going, it seems like it gets a lot easier for us offensively.”
• Turner’s speed on the bases puts pressure on the other team.

The Noise Around Turner

Turner talked to reporters for almost six minutes about his struggles.

• In the last 20 games, he hit .302/.337/.523 (good numbers!).
• But his season totals still look worse than expected.
• His fielding has gotten worse. He will be 34 in the 2027 season, so the team might need to think about a new position for him later.

Turner said:

• “People outside of here are always going to say things… I don’t really care what anybody outside of here says.”
• He focuses on fixing things with his team.

Coach Dickerson said the “noise” (criticism) is getting louder:

• Fans and media say things like “worst year of his career.”
• Dickerson said that stuff bothers Turner because he is competitive.
• But Dickerson added: “As long as he’s our shortstop, he’s our shortstop. I believe in my heart he can maintain playing shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies in years to come.”

Important Point: Nobody doubts Turner’s hard work, talent, or honesty. The big issue is that he thinks too much.

Why Thinking Too Much Is a Problem

Turner is a “thinker.” The Phillies wish he could “turn it off” and just play.

• The routine ball (an easy play where he has lots of time) is his biggest challenge.
• Dickerson said Turner’s reads (how he judges the ball) are sometimes off, but sometimes amazing.
• The problem: Turner gets very hard on himself.
• When you lack confidence, you hesitate. That makes routine plays harder.

Dickerson explained:

• Turner “beats himself to death” mentally.
• If he doesn’t trust himself, he is slow to finish the play.

Turner’s Past Success and the Symbol He Became

Turner has always been better at hitting than fielding.

• If his OPS started with an “8” (like .800), people would ignore some errors.
• In 2025, he had the best season by a Phillies position player since 2009 (by a stat called fWAR).
• He won the team’s first batting title since 1958.
• He finished 5th in NL MVP voting.

But Turner became a symbol of what annoys people about the Phillies:

• Since Game 3 of the 2023 NL Championship Series, he is 9-for-51 with zero extra-base hits in 13 playoff games (.422 OPS).
• Before that, in his first 8 playoff games, he was 15-for-30 with 8 extra-base hits.

Turner said:

• “I’m not the prettiest player… I just find a way to help the team.”

The Team’s Bigger Fielding Problem

The Phillies looked at their whole infield recently, not just Turner.

• Before Saturday, the team allowed a .289 batting average on groundballs.
• That is the highest (worst) for any team since the 2017 Detroit Tigers (.293). That Tigers team lost 98 games.

Turner has to be better:

• By errors, outs above average, and defensive runs saved, he regressed from last year.
• Last year now looks like a one-time great year.

Turner said:

• “Last year I had a great year, and now that’s like all washed.”
• He feels he is not getting the same easy balls to field this year.

What Happens Next?

The Phillies should be good in October with or without Turner playing great.

• But it would feel steadier (calmer) if he played well.
• During the All-Star break, Turner did not think about baseball.
• Since the break, he homered in both games—but also made an error in both.
• He wanted the extra practice with Dickerson.

Dickerson said before the game:

• You can’t force players to practice; if they go through the motions, it’s useless.
• Turner’s work was “total purpose, total commitment.”
• Even if he makes a mistake, long-term hard work pays off (like it did last year).

Turner made a mistake Saturday, but it did not define his day. He will try again Sunday.

Summary

Trea Turner is a highly paid shortstop for the Phillies who asked for extra fielding practice after an error. He had a strong offensive game on Saturday but still made one defensive mistake. He struggles because he thinks too much and is hard on himself. Fans and coaches notice his dip in fielding, but everyone believes in his work ethic and talent. His past success shows he can be great. The team has bigger infield issues too. Turner is focusing on what he can control and will keep trying to help his team.

FAQ

1. What is an “error” in baseball?
An error is a mistake by a fielder that lets a batter or runner reach base or advance when they should have been out.

2. What does OPS mean in simple terms?
OPS is a number that adds a player’s ability to get on base and hit for power. Higher is better.

3. Why do people care so much about Turner’s fielding?
Because he is paid $300 million, plays a key position (shortstop), and bats first, so fans expect near-perfect play.

4. What does “turn it off” mean for Turner?
It means stop overthinking and just play naturally using his athletic talent.

5. Is the Phillies’ infield problem only about Turner?
No. The whole team has allowed a very high batting average on groundballs, so the organization is reviewing all infielders.