Defense wins championships. Trea Turner needs to do his part.

After a successful road trip, the Phillies return home for a home stand against the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets. It was a solid trip for Trea Turner, who recorded three hits in two separate games. 

Trea Turner’s offense showcased once again how impactful his bat can be for this Phillies team. If the Phillies are going to make a deep run in the postseason, Trea’s trips to the box will have to be strong. While his offense was classic Trea, his defense once again reared its ugly head during Saturday’s game against the Marlins.

He would commit a throwing error trying to nap a runner at home. The ball would go wide, allowing two Marlins to cross the plate. This wasn’t the difference in the ballgame, but a throw he needed to make.

That play resulted in Trea’s 16th error of the season. He has played 252 games at shortstop in a Phillies uniform and has committed 39 errors. That is a mistake in 15 percent of his games. 

Can Turner improve?

As time moves on, it is unlikely that Turner’s defense at shortstop is going to improve. Turner has never been compared to Ozzie Smith when patrolling the middle infield, but he was once better defensively. The veteran shortstop had 16 errors at shortstop in 2021, 16 errors in 2022, 23 errors in 2023, and now 16 in 2024. With 19 games to go in the season, there is a chance he could add another one or two to his tally.

Trea ranks 7th in Major League Baseball in total errors. Each player ahead of him also plays shortstop, which is arguably the hardest defensive position on the field. Of those seven players, Trea has played the least amount of games. He either boots a ball or misfires a throw once every six games, which is practically once a week.

Sharing the left side of the infield with Alec Bohm (13 errors at 3B), the Phillies currently have 29 total mistakes between the two. This level of defense is not something the club should feel strongly about when it comes to the post-season.

Options for Rob Thomson

Despite not being a Gold Glove-caliber unit, the Phillies have been solid in that regard during the playoffs. Rhys Hoskins‘ mistakes in the 2022 playoffs are the ones that stand out from the past two seasons.

In 2022, the Phillies installed Edmundo Sosa as a late-inning replacement for Alec Bohm. This was typically the only move made at that time. With Bohm’s improvements at the position, Rob Thomson did not make those same moves often in 2023. Edmundo Sosa could potentially be an option to replace Trea later in playoff games if the skipper deems it worthy. 

It would be a worthy concept to try and employ for the team. If Trea Turner makes the last out of the 8th inning, for example, Thomson could put Sosa into the game without fear that his spot in the lineup would come back around. If Trea was set to bat in the next inning, however, then you keep him in the ballgame.

Managers in today’s version of baseball don’t have a chance to make many moves. Mostly their role falls to managing the bullpen, with in-game substitutions happening far less. This is a chance for Rob Thomson to influence the game. 

Despite all of this, if Trea Turner plays better defensively, none of this is necessary. Focusing harder on each play, locking in with the glove, and making clean throws can help eliminate risk. 

The ultimate goal for the Philadelphia Phillies is to win the World Series. Playing their best brand of baseball is crucial, and making their path harder must be avoided. Giving opponents extra outs or runs in a playoff game could cost them their season. Trea Turner stands out in this area of the game, and all eyes will be on him come October.

His impact with the bat and glove might be the reason the Phillies hoist a championship on Broad Street.