5 Phillies who could be the difference between success and failure in 2024

Trea Turner

Trea Turner's first season with the Phillies represented the definition of volatile. He was underwhelming at the plate and in the field for a good part of 2023. It wasn't until a standing ovation from the loyal Phillies fans during a game on Aug. 4 at Citizens Bank Park helped jumpstart what everyone expected out of the shortstop offensively.

The 30-year-old infielder had a line of .235/.290/.368 before the home game versus the Kansas City Royals at the beginning of August. At the end of the month, his stat line numbers for the season were .260/.312/.439.

Phillies need Turner to put together a full season, including the playoffs

He finished with a .333/.376/.685 line, along with nine home runs and 26 RBI during August. He had a decent September with seven home runs, 16 RBI, and a stat line of .299/.364/.567. He entered the postseason with some positive momentum offensively.

Turner had one hit or more in 10 consecutive playoff games. However, he went 0-for-12 in Games 5 through 7 of the NLCS. When the Phillies lineup came up small collectively, so did the shortstop. For the regular season, he finished with 150 strikeouts, which was the most of his career. His .266 batting average was the lowest since his rookie season in 2015.

The Boynton Beach, Florida native had a rough year defensively as well. Turner's 23 errors were the most of his career. His fielding percentage of .960 was his lowest since 2020. In terms of a 162-game season, he had a .875 percentage at shortstop back in 2015. He committed four errors, another career high, during the 2023 postseason.

Turner was viewed as the missing player that would propel the Phillies to a World Series last year. Unfortunately, his underwhelming first year with Philadelphia has put the spotlight on him entering 2024.

The organization has invested heavily in the shortstop with the massive deal he signed in December 2022. If he struggles again this season, the local and national media and the fanbase will begin to doubt if the club made the right decision in signing the infielder to a long-term, expensive contract.

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