Phillies Skipper Teases Superstar's Potential Return Against Orioles

It seems like the Philadelphia Phillies could be getting one of their superstars back as soon as this weekend based on the comments from their skipper.

Apr 26, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) throws to first base on a ground out by San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (not pictured) during the third inning at Petco Park | Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies were dealt a tough blow when it was revealed their star catcher J.T. Realmuto would undergo surgery on his knee and likely be out a month if everything goes well.

Being such an important piece to this team as both an offensive threat and elite defender, his absence will loom large until he returns to the field.

For much of the season, the Phillies were able to avoid injuries.

That changed when Trea Turner went down with a hamstring strain followed by Brandon Marsh joining him on the sidelines with the same issue.

Philadelphia was still able to maintain their high level of play without their superstar shortstop as they continued to grow their lead in the NL East and stayed at the top of the National League standings.

Without Realmuto, that will be put to the test.

But the Phillies got a great update on the status of Turner.

"Though the upcoming homestand seemed like the most likely time for Turner to rejoin the club, manager Rob Thomson did not rule out a potential return during the weekend series in Baltimore," the team's injury page reported.

Still, it seems like the team is going to be as cautious as possible with their $300 million man.

"We'll see. It's different; we've got to be careful. It's a higher grade strain than [Brandon] Marsh's, and [Turner] isn't going to go on a rehab assignment, so we've got to make sure he can do it on a daily basis," the skipper said.

Turner has been seen hitting and doing fielding work on the field before games, a good sign that he could be getting closer to his return.

While Philadelphia has been able to build a hefty lead in their division, they don't want to go on a prolonged losing streak that could lower their chances of winning the NL East and not put them in the best position possible to go on a deep playoff run.

Their ultimate goal is winning the World Series.

To accomplish that, they need all of their stars healthy, and getting Turner back on the field is an important step.