The Philadelphia Phillies have clearly been performing at a higher level in recent months, sitting at 40-33 and trailing the National League East by just 7.0 games.
Being 7.5 games back in mid-June is far from dire, especially when you consider how much worse things could have gotten if the Phillies had kept up their subpar play. Even with the team’s overall improvement, though, certain individuals on the roster have yet to meet expectations.
Trea Turner is one such player, currently batting .216 with a .594 OPS this season. Adding to the concern, the advanced numbers paint a troubling picture his expected batting average ranks in the 26th percentile, his average exit velocity sits in the 40th percentile, and his chase rate falls in the 16th percentile.
To state it plainly, this version of Turner looks nothing like the one fans have grown accustomed to watching.
His prolonged struggles have been disappointing, and frustration is beginning to build in Philadelphia, but his manager, Don Mattingly, isn’t among those losing patience. On the contrary, Mattingly remains highly confident and firmly believes that his star shortstop will turn things around before long.
“I want to show confidence because I feel confidence. I wouldn’t say the things I say if I didn’t feel confident that Trea wasn’t going to find it and be swinging more consistently and better as we go through the season,” Mattingly told NBC Sports Philly.
Personally, I tend to think Turner will eventually find his rhythm, as he usually does as the season progresses.
At the same time, it’s only reasonable to acknowledge the inconsistencies he’s shown since arriving in Philadelphia. There have been stretches where he’s looked sharp, but also stretches where he’s been outright terrible. It’s become difficult to pin down exactly what kind of player he is right now, so I can fully appreciate why some fans are feeling uneasy.
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