The rich may have just gotten richer. After falling short in the World Series, the Philadelphia Phillies reloaded this past winter. One of their huge pick up in free agency was shortstop Trea Turner.
Turner tormented the Phillies for eight seasons, six-plus with the Washington Nationals, and the past two with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now he is in Phillies red. Sunday, he demonstrated why Philly gave him an 11-year, $300 million contract in his spring training debut.
Leading off in the first, Turner hit a single. Then, he stole second base with another former Nationals player Kyle Schwarber at the plate. One batter later, Turner scored from second off JT Realmuto’s RBI single.
Trea Turner made those types of plays for the Nationals, including during their run to the 2019 World Series title. However, Turner and the Nats were far apart in contract talks. Feeling, they couldn’t get a deal done, the Nats traded Turner (along with Max Scherzer) to the Dodgers during the 2021 season, despite having another year of team control on his contract.
Turner is back in the NL East, now providing the Phillies with the jolt they need as their lead-off hitter and shortstop. If watching Scherzer hurl fastballs in a Mets uniform wasn’t painful enough for Nationals fans.
The Nationals, meanwhile, are in full rebuild mode. Washington has gotten younger after offloading cornerstones Turner, Scherzer, and Juan Soto (in 2022). The Nationals acquired Turner’s replacement, CJ Abrams, in the Soto trade. Abrams is already flashing his potential, but watching Turner’s presence with the Phillies will stir the emotions of Nationals fans.
