When it appeared like Trea Turner was headed for an off day, he’s right back in the lineup against the Miami Marlins. Philadelphia Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly explains his reasons for playing the struggling shortstop.
“I want to show confidence because I feel confidence. I wouldn’t say the things I say if I didn’t feel confident that Trea wasn’t going to find it and be swinging more consistently and better as we go through the season.”
This comes the day after Mattingly addresses Turner’s struggles at the plate. He hinted at an off-day for the struggling shortstop.
It’s unclear if Mattingly will use the same strategy on Turner as he did with Alec Bohm. In May, the Phillies’ interim manager sat the struggling third baseman for a couple of days as a mental reset. The time off worked for Bohm, who’s hitting .281 with seven homers and a .830 OPS since May 9.
Trea Turner’s Struggles Have Hurt Phillies Lineup
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 6: Trea Turner #7 of the Philadelphia Phillies tosses his bat after striking out to end the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Citizens Bank Park on June 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The White Sox defeated the Phillies 6-3. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Trea Turner’s slump has been one of the biggest problems the Phillies have faced all season. He enters this series against the Marlins with a .219/.269/.330 slash with seven home runs and a 65 wRC+ in 2026. His wRC+ is the fifth-lowest among qualified hitters this season.
The 32-year-old’s struggles may be the Phillies’ No. 1 concern regarding their lineup. When Turner is hitting, he makes the top of their lineup extremely difficult to navigate for opposing pitchers. But when he’s not, it hurts their lineup altogether.
Turner holds an important spot in the lineup for the Phillies. He bats between Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, two All-Star-level hitters. Turner is supposed to be the right-handed bat that gets favorable matchups when teams try to neutralize Schwarber and Harper.
However, Turner has provided next to no offense against lefties this season. In fact, he’s just hitting .185 with a .529 OPS despite holding the platoon advantage. As a result, opposing managers have an easier time navigating the top of their lineup.
That’s a weakness that could be the Phillies’ undoing, either in the postseason race or the postseason itself. The club needs Turner to provide more offense to mitigate that potential weakness.
Phillies Have Struggled vs. Lefties All Season
Turner’s struggles serve as a microcosm of the club’s struggles against lefties altogether. Not a single right-handed hitter on their current roster has a wRC+ over 100, which is league average, against southpaws.
As a result of all their right-handed bats struggling, the Phillies have averaged 3.52 runs per game started by a left-hander. Against lefties altogether, they’re hitting just .220 with a .675 OPS.
The Phillies’ best hitters against lefties are Kyle Schwarber (167), Bryson Stott (143), and Brandon Marsh (106). The problem is they’re all left-handed hitters.
Stott and Marsh used to sit in such matchups, but this season has forced them to play every day. It will be interesting to see how sustainable the production is for both of them.
Their issues were front-and-center in their 4-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. They were carved up by Kyle Harrison, another left-hander, who pitched six scoreless innings.
With this being the No. 1 issue, both Dave Dombrowski and Preston Mattingly have a mandate to add a right-handed bat to their lineup. Their search includes Jo Adell and Seiya Suzuki, as reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
Phillies Manager Sends Strong Message on Trea Turner Amid Struggles