What Makes Philadelphia Phillies Star Such a Dangerous Player at the Plate?

A rare combination of skills plays a part in a Philadelphia Phillies star being one of the best hitters in baseball.

Aug 18, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) celebrates his home run during the third inning in the dugout against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are loaded with talent up and down their roster, which is why they are one of the legitimate World Series contenders in baseball this season.

There is one player who stands out among his All-Star teammates; shortstop Trea Turner.

Hitting .298 on the season, he is one of the handful of players in the league that has a shot to finish with a .300 batting average in 2024.

That is a feat becoming more and more rare in the game.

This year there are only eight qualified hitters with a batting average of at least .300 across both leagues.

When adjusting to how the game has changed, there are a few hitters that would be above the .300 mark based on historical data, and Turner is one of those guys.

What is it that makes the electric shortstop such a talented hitter?

Bradford Doolittle of ESPN shared what separates him from his peers, as he is one of the players with a real shot at reaching the plateau this season.

“Turner was a career .303 hitter through age 28. He's dropped mildly in the three seasons since then, as higher launch angles have made him more of a fly ball hitter. Always an aggressive swinger, Turner combines above-average power, especially for a shortstop, with plus contact skills and top-end speed once he gets moving.”

Being mentioned among Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. in any capacity, like Doolittle alluded to in his piece, means a player is doing something right. The American League MVP candidate leads baseball with a .333 average and there seemingly isn’t a weakness in his game.

Turner doesn’t execute on the level that Witt does, but the skill sets are comparable. Both possess rare power for a player at their position, but have the contact skills to get the job done when only a base hit is needed.

The speed they possess certainly helps steal a few base hits every season.

A slow roller to third base and shortstop that would be an easy out against many hitters puts pressure on opponents as they blaze down the first base line.

Turner has adjusted his game to fit the modern style of baseball, so it is no coincidence that his four best power-hitting seasons have come consecutively since 2021. 

But he is talented enough to revert back to a high-average hitting table setter should the need arise. The 3-time All-Star is a multifaceted player who can beat teams in a multitude of ways.