Trea Turner’s night against the New York Yankees ended with another costly mistake, and the number attached to it is getting harder to ignore: 18 errors this season.
The Philadelphia Phillies shortstop was charged with the misplay on a chopper Sunday night, a ball that put him in that awkward in-between spot every infielder hates. He had to decide whether to charge the short hop or hang back for the long hop, and he ended up doing a little of both. The result was a play he didn’t handle cleanly.
It was the latest chapter in what Turner has already described publicly as a "defensive slump," and it has pushed the conversation beyond one bad night. Some are now openly wondering whether Turner’s future at shortstop is in doubt.
After the error, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner posted this on X:
- Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) July 27, 2026
Turner has long been valued for his athleticism, and that has helped him make useful plays at shortstop at different points in his career. But this season has told a different story. The position has clearly been giving him trouble, and the results have piled up enough that it no longer looks like a simple fix.
Because of that athleticism, Turner has often looked like a player who could handle the outfield if he committed to the transition. That kind of move is not easy to make in the middle of a season, though, and the Phillies may not be eager to make that kind of change if they don’t feel confident in their other options at shortstop.
Still, the errors and misplays are becoming difficult to absorb. At the very least, Philadelphia has reached the point where it should seriously think about the possibility.
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