The player who drew attention with a super-accounting free agent contract worth nearly 400 billion won is now in danger of falling into a ‘eating and running’.
Philadelphia shortstop Trey Turner (30) has lived a solid baseball life so far. He debuted on the major league stage with the Washington Nationals in 2015, and in 2016, he recorded a batting average of .342, 13 homers, 40 RBIs, and 33 stolen bases in just 73 games, and ranked second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. With 73 home runs and 43 stolen bases, he became the first stolen base king in his career. In 2020, which was played in a shortened season, Turner, who left a batting average of .335, 12 home runs, 41 RBIs and 12 stolen bases, raised his value by taking first place in the most hits in the National League with 78 hits.
His best golden period could be said to be the 2021 season. 328 batting average, 28 homers, 77 RBIs, 32 stolen bases, and 195 hits while going through Washington and Los Angeles Dodgers. Last year, he marked his first 100 runs in his career with a batting average of .298, 21 homers, 100 runs batted in and 27 stolen bases, and also won the Silver Slugger, showing his skills at their peak.
Turner, who happened to be a free agent, became a hot topic when he signed a huge contract with Philadelphia for a total of 300 million dollars (about 392.4 billion won) over 11 years. In the World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in March of this year, he participated as a member of the U.S. national team and exploded a whopping 5 home runs, tying Lee Seung-yeop’s record for most home runs in the 2006 WBC tournament.
However, his first season in Philadelphia was disappointing. He appeared in 108 games, but his batting average dropped to .236, and his .289 on-base percentage and .367 slugging percentage also didn’t match his ransom. It’s already August, but he has 10 homers, 35 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. It is now the first season of an 11-year contract, and the scent of ‘eating and running’ is rising.
It would not be strange to receive booing from Philadelphia fans right now. Turner had an unforgettable experience in the 2023 major league game against the Kansas City Royals held at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia’s home stadium, on the 5th (Korean time).
Turner, who entered the game as the eighth batter, got his first at-bat on an unharmed second base chance in the bottom of the second inning. Then, the Philadelphia home fans who filled the stands gave a standing ovation in unison. And they enthusiastically cheered for Turner, shouting “Let’s Go! Trea!” This continued every time Turner stepped into the plate.
On this day, the official website of Major League Baseball (MLB.com) explained that “Philadelphia fans stood up and cheered with the belief that Turner could live again.”토토사이트
After the game, Turner said, “I think it’s a really cool scene. The fans are behind me. It’s pretty cool to watch it,” Turner said. It also means that we have to show an active performance.”
Turner isn’t the only one thrilled by this scene. Turner’s mother, who was watching her son’s game in person, is said to have even seen her tears. Turner said, “Her mother said that my first at-bat she cried. She said the fans made her mother happy.”
Turner’s teammate Nick Castellanos joined the wave of support from the dugout waving a towel. “That’s how the relationship is built between the player and the city,” Castellanos said of Philadelphia fans rooting for Turner. Castellanos also wore a new Philadelphia uniform last year but fell short of expectations with a .263 batting average of 13 homers and 62 RBIs. However, this year he has already surpassed his performance last year with a batting average of .274, 16 home runs and 65 RBI.
‘MLB.com’ explained, “Turner has never been this sluggish in his life. Considering that he was one of the best players in recent years, his poor play is shocking.” Turner, who went 4 at-bats, 1 hit and 1 RBI in this game, still has a long way to go before he reaches a revival. However, the fans’ faith and support instill endless hope in Turner. Turner’s season isn’t over yet. There is plenty of time for him to resurrect.