What the Trea Turner signing means for The Phillies

SAN DIEGO - No more dreaming, because it happened.

As of Monday, at 2:37 pm, Trea Turner is a Philadelphia Phillie and will be for the next 11 years, as he racks up $300 Million dollars in red pinstripes, Jeff Passan of ESPN reports.

Turner, 29, had been seen as the consensus top free agent in the 2022-23 class. Coming off his first full season in Dodger blue, it never seemed as though the former world series champion would be in LA for the long term. Despite reportedly garnering multiple deals from the Dodgers, Turner who put up MVP-like numbers last year wanted a long-term pact and a home for the remainder of his career.

Well, he wanted it, and he got it. Turner’s 11-year contract will lock him up in The City of Brotherly Love until his age 41 season (2034). Nearly adjacent to his good friend Bryce Harper’s 13-year deal, which keeps the all-world Rightfielder in Philly until 2032. Now, with a legitimate core of Harper, Turner, Realmuto, Schwarber, Wheeler, and Nola, plus the ever-relevant “Phillies Day-Care”, the Phils are set for contention for years to come.

But what exactly are the Phillies getting in the 2-time All-Star and former World Series champion Turner? Seen as one of the few all-around 5-tool players in Baseball, Trea Turner is your ideal franchise cornerstone. With a bat that will give you a .290-310 AVG, paired with a consistent 20-30 home runs a year and one of the best infield gloves in Baseball, there are few players that can rival Turner’s omnipotency in the history of Baseball.

With lights-out speed on the base paths, Turner is also your ideal leadoff batter, which was one of the many reasons the Phillies chose to target the 2-time stolen base champion. However, with incumbent Kyle Schwaber coming off a year where he blasted 40+ home runs out of the leadoff spot, questions have been raised as to if the Phillies will make the switch to the more conventional Turner or stick with what they know in Schwarber.

Last season for the Dodgers Turner put up high-caliber numbers while helping LA to a league-best 106-54 record. Through 160 games for the blue and white Turner held a ludicrous .298/.343/.466/.809 batting line. All the while swatting 39 doubles, 4 triples, 21 home runs, and 100 RBIs. Turner also swiped 27 bases while only being caught 3 times, good enough for one of the best stealing percentages in Baseball, behind the Phillies own JT Realmuto.

Hooking the “big fish” is the way to win in today’s game, it’s been demonstrated time and time again by the big dogs of the league. The Phillies, financially at least, are a “big dog” and if they want to keep winning they are going to need to spend like one. Signing Trea Turner was the perfect tone-setter to what should be a statement offseason for the Phils. Starting pitcher and Bullpen continue to be glaring holes and will demand a fix sooner rather than later. However, with the names on the market this Winter and Dave Dombroski’s Steinbrenerian persona, there is no reason for Phillies fans to believe the job is finished.

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