The Philadelphia Phillies will have star shortstop Trea Turner back in the lineup for the regular-season finale on Sunday. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, manager Rob Thomson confirmed Turner will play a few innings at shortstop in the game.
It marks Turner’s first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury on Sept. 7. The plan is to give him some in-game reps before the five-day layoff leading into the NLDS, which begins next Saturday, Oct. 4.
While there had been a chance he could return right before the playoffs, the Phillies held off to avoid unnecessary risk. Now that he’s been cleared, the team wants him to shake off some rust without overextending him, keeping their focus firmly on the postseason.
To make room on the roster, right-hander Max Lazar was optioned.
A healthy Trea Turner is a vital piece of the Phillies’ lineup
The Phillies simply couldn’t afford to be without Turner. Before the injury, he was tracking toward his best season since signing his 11-year, $300 million contract in 2023. Not only was he their catalyst at the top of the order, but also a key sparkplug for their offense.
Turner had become the ideal table-setter for the heart of Philadelphia’s lineup, all while putting together the strongest defensive campaign of his career. According to Statcast, his 16 Outs Above Average rank him fourth among all active shortstops in baseball.
Offensively, Turner is also chasing a second career NL batting title as the regular season wraps up. He enters Sunday slashing .305/.356/.458 with an .815 OPS, sitting second in the league with 179 hits, and is expected to appear on the NL MVP ballot alongside teammate Kyle Schwarber.
The setback could have been far worse—he dealt with a similar injury last season that sidelined him for six weeks. This time, the Phillies only had to get by without him for a few. From the start of the year, Turner made a conscious effort to prioritize contact and cut down on swing-and-miss, something manager Rob Thomson encouraged rather than pushing for power. That adjustment is poised to pay huge dividends come October.
Now that Turner is back, Philadelphia looks whole again. Given the balance of this roster, he has a chance to be the piece that drives them all the way to a World Series championship.
