If there’s been one defining characteristic of Rob Thomson’s first year-plus as Phillies skipper, it’s been his seemingly unwavering faith in his regulars with a track record.
He kept Nick Castellanos fifth in the Phillies’ lineup all postseason last year, despite season-long struggles for the 2021 Silver Slugger. He moved Kyle Schwarber back to the leadoff spot early this June despite hitting .163 through the end of May. Argue for or against those moves all you want, but it’s clear Thomson has a style.
He’s taken that exact approach to Trea Turner in 2023, keeping him toward the top of the Phillies’ lineup — and starting all but two of the team’s 85 games this season — despite Turner struggling to a .246 average and .679 OPS through the Fourth of July.
After snapping an eight-game hitting streak with an 0-for-9 in his previous two games, Thomson penciled Turner in to his regular No. 2 spot in the Phillies’ lineup on Wednesday, and he doubled down by manifesting a change of fortune for the $300 million shortstop.
“My gut is that that’s what we’re going to see,” Thomson said pregame, according to Brian Murphy of MLB.com: “The good Trea Turner.”
It worked. Turner broke out of his super-mini-slump with a 364-foot homer high off the left field foul pole in a 2-for-5 performance as the Phillies earned a series victory against the AL-best Rays.
Whether the multi-hit outing — and Thomson’s words of encouragement — signal the full-time return of the “good Trea Turner” or merely another flash in the pan before he reverts back to his struggles is, of course, still to be determined.
But for at least one day, Thomson’s faith paid dividends. They say actions speak louder than words, but the skipper backed his shortstop with both on Wednesday, and after a first-inning error, it helped the Phillies to one of their best wins of the season.
Must-read (or watch) Phillies content
- Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote about the strides that Bryson Stott, who went 4-for-5 on Wednesday, has made in just 1 1/2 years in the Majors.
- Baseball Prospectus‘s Timothy Jackson also wrote about Stott, who is “getting better by being the same player,” and you’ll have to read (well, first, subscribe) to learn what he’s talking about.
- The Phillies promoted flamethrower Orion Kerkering to Double-A on Wednesday. Matt Gelb of The Athletic wrote about Kerkering and his arsenal back in May.
- You won’t see Nick Castellanos in the Home Run Derby this year, but you have seen him match his 13-homer 2022 total in just 85 team games this season.
Former Phillie Nation
- Jean Segura was ejected in the most Jean Segura way possible on Wednesday, drawing a line in the chalk of the opposing batters box after a bad strike three call and immediately walking toward the dugout. Home plate umpire Jeff Nelson also gave Segura the most pleasant ring imaginable, for his creativity:
Segura is having a tough season (.201 AVG, .524 OPS) for Miami, but his Fish just keep swimming anyway, winning again — in wild fashion.
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