Trea Turner has to be better, Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Thursday as he assessed the shortstop’s rough 2026 campaign.
Speaking at Citizens Bank Park, Dombrowski acknowledged Turner’s struggles and said the club delivered a direct message about his defense heading into 2027. According to comments relayed by MLB.com, Dombrowski told Turner he must defend at a level closer to his 2025 form to remain the team’s starting shortstop. If he repeats 2026, Dombrowski said, he will not.
Trea Turner has to be better: defensive drop-off
Turner finished 2026 with minus-17 defensive runs saved at shortstop, the third time in four seasons with Philadelphia that he has posted a negative double-digit figure in that metric.
Offensively, the two-time batting champion and three-time All-Star hit .242/.297/.378 with 19 home runs, 58 RBIs and 21 steals. He recorded an 81 OPS+ and minus-0.1 WAR, all career worsts over a full season. The decline followed a standout 2025 in which he led the National League with a .304 average and produced 5.4 WAR.
Dombrowski noted the organization believed Turner’s athletic profile would age well when they signed him, pointing to his quick-twitch athleticism. He added that both he and Turner were surprised by the 2026 offensive downturn and that the team has already shared feedback aimed at helping him rebound.
The 33-year-old is four years into an 11-year, 300 million dollar contract. While he has been the Phillies’ primary shortstop, Turner has past experience at other positions, including second base with the Dodgers in 2021, where he has 79 career starts, and center field with the Nationals in 2016. Aside from designated hitter, he has not played a position other than shortstop since 2021.
Managerial update in Philadelphia
Elsewhere, the Phillies removed the interim tag from Don Mattingly on Wednesday, signing him to a two-year deal after he took over from Rob Thomson following a 9-19 start. Philadelphia went 79-55 under Mattingly but fell to the Atlanta Braves in three games in the Wild Card Series. The Phillies have not advanced past the NL Division Series since 2023.
