Phillies’ Trea Turner called to ‘retire’ problematic part of his game

Phillies’ Trea Turner called to ‘retire’ problematic part of his game originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Trea Turner made his 18th error of the season on Sunday night against the New York Yankees.

The Philadelphia Phillies‘ shortstop was caught in between on a chopper. Should he go get the short hop? Should he stay back for the long hop?

In the end, he kind of split the difference, attacking the ball a bit but not enough, and he didn’t field it cleanly.

It was the continuation of what Turner has publicly called a “defensive slump,” and it has some folks wondering if Turner’s shortstop days are over.

For example, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner posted this on X after Turner’s error:

It’s time for Trea Turner to retire his infield glove.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) July 27, 2026

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Turner is a great athlete with some solid traits, which at times in his career has led to useful plays at shortstop.

Now, though, it seems like the position is getting the best of him. That can happen for a variety of reasons, but the output of this season suggests it won’t just be an easy turnaround for Turner.

Given his athleticism, it’s always seemed like he could be a strong outfielder if he put the work in to do it.

Yes, that’s a tricky thing to pull off midseason, and the Phillies may not want to do it right now if they don’t feel good about shortstop alternatives.

But Turner’s errors and misplays are becoming tough to deal with. A move is something Philadelphia ought to at least consider.

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