The Philadelphia Phillies' end-of-season press conference finally took place after two weeks of radio silence. The club enters the 2026 offseason with massive uncertainties after another failed World Series chase. After a lackluster season on the field and at the plate, there were rumblings regarding whether Trea Turner should be moved off the shortstop position, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is adamant about giving Turner one last chance to prove himself.
Turner was dead weight most of the 2026 season, and that feeling lingered into the postseason. It was the worst year of his MLB career, not that the Phillies brass didn't notice. He finished the year slashing .242/.297/.387 with -17 DRS and -10 OAA. Dombrowski made it clear to Turner that things have to be different going forward.
“He knows he has to be better at shortstop,” Dombrowski stated. “I have told him that is mandatory. If he plays shortstop like he did in '25, then he can play shortstop. But if he plays like he did in '26, he can't.”
Turner was shockingly unproductive all around in 2026. Among 42 qualified shortstops in 2026, his OAA was the fourth worst. In 2025, he had a 17 OAA, the fourth-best in MLB. He also had a stark 137-point drop in his OPS. A position change isn't definitive, but Turner knows the possibility looms if things spiral.
Dave Dombrowski said it’s “mandatory” that Trea Turner play a better shortstop in 2027 and Turner is “determined” to show the Phillies he can. For now, the Phillies are keeping him at SS, but Dombrowski discussed position changes with Turner. He prefers to stay on infield.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) October 15, 2026
Turner may not be the only one who could see a shift in his defensive positioning. Dombrowski has plans to move Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber around to give them some additional rest in the coming year.
“We'd like to get Kyle playing some first base next year to get [Harper] and [Schwarber] off their feet a little more as they age,” Dombrowski said. “We estimate [Schwarber] could play 30 games at [first base] next year. Bryce is willing to play the outfield some.”
The Phillies also fired long-time infield coach Bobby Dickerson along with hitting coach Kevin Long. Dombrowski announced on Thursday that the Phillies hired former New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. Mendoza will serve as the Phillies' infield and third-base coach. Turner, along with Harper and Schwarber, will have the chance to work with a different teacher this year. Perhaps a new look from Mendoza can breathe life into a dreary defensive outlook headed into 2027.
The Phillies have Turner under contract for the next seven seasons. They need to get the most out of their $300 million shortstop as he ages. If it takes a position change, then so be it. The Phillies still have an infrastructure to win in October, and that has to include more of the 2025 version of Turner.
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