Contract of Trea Turner Could Be Nightmare for Philadelphia Phillies by 2026

Was the Trea Turner contract a bad one by the Philadelphia Phillies?

Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) hits a single in the third inning against the New York Mets during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies suffered a tough loss in the National League Division Series to the New York Mets, as the team didn’t live up to expectations. 

The Phillies this postseason came into October looking like one of the most complete teams in the league. It was a great regular season for them, but they fell way short of living up to what they could accomplish this season. 

Now, Philadelphia will be heading into the offseason with some question marks as the team tries to figure out what to do in order to improve their team. 

The Phillies have been no strangers to spending money in free agency, and that very well may be the case this offseason. 

One of the big signings that Philadelphia made recently was to bring in shortstop Trea Turner. The talented shortstop played for the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers prior to signing with the Phillies. 

Even though he was one of the best shortstops in the game for many years, he hasn’t quite lived up to those expectations in Philadelphia. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently spoke about his contract being a potential nightmare for the Phillies in 2026. 

“His tenure in Philadelphia is already off to a rockier-than-expected start. He didn't get going until August of last year, and this season saw him miss time with a hamstring injury. Turner still has a pretty good bat if you take away his speed, but he's suddenly struggling to hit fastballs and he seems to be past his peak power. Per Outs Above Average, the same is true of his defense at shortstop. This season ended up being a solid one for Turner despite these things, but it was far from his best. And if his skills continue to degrade, his best will become more of a distant memory.”

The contract for Turner always had the potential to be an issue for Philadelphia, as it is never wise to pay for speed. In 2026, Turner will be 33 years old and in the fourth year of an 11-year deal. 

While 2024 was a better season, Turner’s time in Philadelphia so far has been highlighted by poor production and injuries. 

Even though he can be a very talented player, this contract doesn’t seem like it will be a good one long-term for the Phillies, and they might even regret it as soon as 2026, when it’s not even halfway completed.