Categories: News

Why Phillies chose Trea Turner to hit leadoff on Opening Day

Trea Turner will bat first on Opening Day. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)

WASHINGTON — Trea Turner will be the first Phillies batter of the 2025 season as he steps in the box to start the Opening Day action on Thursday afternoon at his former home stadium, Nationals Park.

Turner, the right-handed-hitting shortstop, will hit leadoff in Philadelphia’s first game of the season and face a left-hander in Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore.

“Trea’s one of the best in baseball, man,” Bryce Harper, Thursday’s No. 2 batter and a fellow former National, said. “He’s gonna bring speed to the top. I thought he had a great eye this spring training, so I think he’s gonna do that as well. He’s going to hit gap to gap and hit for some power as well. I think he’s going to have a lot of success up there.”

The Phillies’ lineup has been a discussion since the club’s National League Division Series flameout last October, with questions about how the top of the order should look. Slugger Kyle Schwarber has been the primary leadoff batter since arriving in Philadelphia in 2022, and he’s been an unorthodox spark plug out of that spot.

The Phillies have had success with Schwarber hitting first, but there’s also merit to the idea that he’s better suited for the middle of the order with his power. Turner better fits the mold of a prototypical leadoff batter, and he’s hit there in the past. And after all the debate about which player should take the role in 2025, manager Rob Thomson will give them both chances to do it, depending on matchups.

“I’m just going to try and wiggle it with Trea leading off versus lefties and Schwarber leading off versus righties and see where we go from there,” Thomson said.

Thomson emphasized his ability to change up the lineup if something isn’t working. The Phillies will tinker, but the team will need the hitters to perform regardless of the alignment. In general, there may be more focus on the actual order than it actually matters. Does Thomson agree?

“No doubt,” he said with a smile. “I talk about it every day.”

Phillies Opening Day lineup against the Washington Nationals at 4:05 p.m.: