The Philadelphia Phillies had finally received the version of Trea Turner they had hoped for when signing him to an 11-year, $300 million contract back in 2022.
Turner hit .304 in 2025, earning the National League batting title in his third season with the organization.
He finished in fifth place in MVP voting, and his defense had taken a massive swing in the right direction.
So why, just 28 games into the 2026 regular season, is Trea Turner hitting .230?
As a contact-driven hitter, Turner has never been a power bat.
Despite his ability to poke out 15-20 home runs a season, the veteran has always been at his best when driving the ball to all fields.
Using his elite speed, Turner often excels with infield hits and has often been a doubles machine. Add on his ability to swipe bases; his profile is unique to the modern hitter.
However, when the Phillies' shortstop begins swinging for the fences, that is when he finds himself in cold spells such as the one he is facing now.
Turner is putting the ball in the air 44.4% of the time that he makes contact. This mark was just 32.9% in 2025.
His ground ball rate is currently 40%, which is down from 47.9% just last season.
Fly balls neutralize Turner's best asset, his athleticism.
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In order for Turner to get back to the best version of himself, he will need to adjust his approach at the plate.
Focusing on driving the baseball and hitting the ball hard on the ground needs to become the priority once again. Turner can take a page out of rookie Justin Crawford's book in that department.
Ironically, Turner has increased his walk percentage this season from 6.7% to 9.6%. If he can continue that trend, he will help generate more offense at the top of the Phillies' lineup.
In 2025, both the sinker and slider were pitches Turner handled with ease. He hit .347 and .275 against those pitches, respectively. In 2026, those marks have decreased in a major way. Turner is hitting .174 against the sinker and .150 against the slider.
Generating better swings against those two pitches will help spark the caliber of hitter that the club needs.
