Phillies' Trea Turner Has a Roller Coaster Game in Victory Over Dodgers

Turner has struggled defensively, yet the Phillies will continue to ride with him at shortstop. With the way he's hitting, does it matter?

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PHILADELPHIA -- All Trea Turner can do is laugh at himself.

Between all the comical miscues in the field and countering that with the scorching hot streak at the plate, the Trea Turner roller coaster is at maximum speed.

There's nothing Turner can do about it. He just has to laugh at what's going on inning by inning. Even the routine ground balls are an adventure.

"Just a ridiculous game in general by me," Turner smiled. "Roller coaster -- up, down, up, down -- You do things like that you just gotta laugh about it."

When mentioning Turner around the clubhouse, that's the general response. Just laugh about what's going on with him, in the field and at the plate.

This is how Turner's night went.

Inning	Result
Top 1st	Error
Bottom 1st	Double
Bottom 2nd	Home Run
Top 4th	Hit off glove
Top 6th	Kicked with glove
Bottom 6th	3-Run Home Run

At the end of the night, Turner went 3-for-5 with 2 HR and 5 RBI -- his most in a game since August 18 of last year. In the same game, Turner had an error and should have been charged with at least two more.

Turner even had a hard hit ball hit directly at him in the top of the ninth that would have been tough for any shortstop to make. That was one he had to laugh off as well.

At this point, that's all Turner can do.

Wild Night For Turner

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) hits a sacrifice fly during the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in game four of the NLCS of the 2023 MLB playoffs at Chase Field in Phoenix on Oct. 20, 2023. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"If you can't laugh at yourself, Turner said to Phillies on SI. "You're kind of done for."

The Phillies will ride with Turner at shortstop regardless. They have no other choice, yet it also shows the belief manager Don Mattingly has in him.

Turner isn't a player that's going to sit and sulk over what happened. He's been through too much in Philadelphia to have that mentality.

"Trea's our guy," a passionate Mattingly said after the Phillies' win over the Dodgers Monday night. "Trea works every day. Trea cares about his defense. He wants to make plays. He's working every day, so we ride with Trea.

"You gotta put it behind you. He's not bothered by what people would say. He wants to make plays. He wants to win and he wants to get better and he knows he's better than that."

The Phillies are adamant with Turner playing shortstop in 2026. There isn't going to be a change this season, although a position change will be considered down the road.

While Turner is laughing at his performance, he'll continue to work on his biggest weakness. This isn't for lack of trying, as Turner works with Phillies infield coach Bobby Dickerson daily on defense.

The work is being put in, which is why the Phillies aren't concerned.

"Everyone talks about rhythm at the plate, but I think there's rhythm on the base paths or rhythm defensively," Turner said. "Sometimes you feel good, sometime syou don't. You just have to find that floor there."

Even with Turner's defense being a liability, his bat is carrying the Phillies offense.

Since June 15, Turner is hitting .316 with 7 HR, 19 RBI, and an. 924 OPS (28 games). He's scored 27 runs and has 64 total bases.

The Phillies didn't pay Turner $300 million for his defense. They paid him for offensive nights like this, the right-handed bat this team has sorely needed for multiple years.

Turner has been the tone setter of the Phillies offense. He's carrying this team, and doing what he's been paid to do.

"When Trea goes, we go," Mattingly said. "When Trea's doing his thing, it changes our club."