Phillies Put $300 Million Superstar On Notice After Disastrous Season
Turner will open next season at shortstop, Dombrowski said, but he made clear the leash is short, saying, “I told him he cannot play shortstop like he did in 2026 going into 2027.”
Dombrowski met with Turner for about two hours Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park after asking him to fly in from his Florida home, and he said of the conversation, “We were very clear.”
The Season Behind The Warning
Turner hit .242/.297/.378 with a .675 OPS, 19 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in 157 games, which was the worst offensive season of his career.
That’s a steep drop from 2025, when he won the NL batting title with a .304 average and a .812 OPS while making only eight errors.
Dave Dombrowski told Trea Turner he has to play better to stay at SS next season: “He did not have a good year. He needs to fix things with his swing. He knows he has to be better at shortstop. I told him that is mandatory." https://t.co/CIuKsLWEfI
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) October 15, 2026
This year he made 21 errors, which tied for the most in the majors, and he was minus-10 in Outs Above Average, which ranked 39th among 42 qualified shortstops, per MLB.com.
He finished minus-17 in defensive runs saved, and he went 1-for-10 as the Phillies lost a three-game Wild Card series to Atlanta.
“Trea did not have a good year,” Dombrowski said, and he added that Turner “needs to fix things with his swing.”
What Happens If He Doesn’t Improve
Dombrowski called it “mandatory” that Turner’s defense improves if he wants to remain at the position, and ESPN noted he has until about spring training to show it.
The Phillies have options, with Bryson Stott, who played shortstop for the 2022 NL champions, as a candidate to take over, and NBC Sports Philadelphia reporting the team would be willing to make a move on the fly while giving looks to prospects Aidan Miller and Bryan Rincon.
Turner has outfield experience, having debuted in the majors as a center fielder, but there’s no current plan to move him there, and Dombrowski said, “He prefers the infield.”
“He should be able to handle it, and he should be accountable.” The spotlight on Trea Turner at shortstop will be brighter than ever next season. https://t.co/DUhmb9x22y
— The Phillies Show (@ThePhilliesShow) October 20, 2026
Turner took accountability for the season and told Dombrowski he’d play wherever the organization needs him if shortstop doesn’t work.
The Phillies fired infield coach Bobby Dickerson on Wednesday and hired former Mets manager Carlos Mendoza as their third base and infield coach, with Dombrowski saying, “Carlos will be responsible for working with Trea.”
Turner made 40 errors at shortstop combined in 2023 and 2024 before his clean 2025, and he has seven years left on the 11-year, $300 million contract that runs through 2033.
