Trea Turner had what’s being called arguably the worst season of his MLB career in 2026, and Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski isn’t sugarcoating a single thing about his star shortstop’s performance. “He knows he has to be better at shortstop. And I told him that it’s really mandatory that he’s like that,” Dombrowski stated bluntly at a press conference on Thursday. This isn’t just a casual chat; Dombrowski made it clear that Turner’s 2026 play at short isn’t gonna cut it moving forward.
The Shortstop Situation Is a Disaster
Let’s just get right to it: Turner’s defense at shortstop was a huge problem. He posted a shocking -17 defensive runs saved (DRS) this season. That’s not a fluke either; it marks the third time in his four years with the Phillies that he’s finished with a negative, double-digit DRS number. Dombrowski didn’t mince words, saying, “If he plays shortstop like he did in ’25, he can play shortstop. But if he plays it like he did in ’26, he can’t. And he totally understands that.” That’s an ultimatum, plain and simple. It’s on Turner to prove he can turn it around defensively, or a change is coming.
Offensive Slump and a Massive Contract
It wasn’t just the glove that was struggling. Turner, a two-time batting champion and three-time All-Star, also put up career-worst numbers over a full season offensively. We’re talking a .242/.297/.378 slash line, 19 home runs, 58 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, an 81 OPS+, and a baffling -0.1 wins above replacement (WAR). This comes after he led the National League with a .304 batting average and posted 5.4 WAR just last season in 2025. Dombrowski himself expressed surprise, admitting, “I mean, he led the league in hitting last year, so I was surprised myself on the offensive year that he had.” Turner is 33, four years into an 11-year, $300 million contract, making this slump even more painful. The Phillies signed him partly because of his “quick-twitch muscles” and athleticism, believing he could maintain high performance. They’ve already given him “some information” they think could help, so it’s clear they’re trying to fix things. While Turner has played second base for the Dodgers in 2021 (79 career starts there) and center field for the Nationals in 2016 (44 starts), he hasn’t played a position outside shortstop since 2021, other than designated hitter.
Dombrowski’s message to Turner is direct: “You have to show it. You cannot play shortstop like [you] did defensively in ’26, going into ’27.” And Turner, to his credit, is reportedly “very willing to do, if he doesn’t play shortstop, what is best for the Philadelphia Phillies organization.” The organization recently named Don Mattingly as their full-time skipper on a two-year deal, promoting him from bench coach after manager Rob Thomson was fired due to a rough 9-19 start. Mattingly led the team to a much-improved 79-55 record after taking over, so the Phillies clearly expect a winning culture. Now, they need their big-money shortstop to step up in a huge way.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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