The Philadelphia Phillies will face a critical stretch of the season without the left side of their infield, as star shortstop Trea Turner and third baseman Alec Bohm were both placed on the 10-day injured list Monday with just three weeks remaining.
Turner is sidelined with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, while Bohm is dealing with a shoulder injury. The club recalled utilityman Otto Kemp and infielder Donovan Walton to fill their roster spots.
Manager Rob Thomson stated that the team expects Turner to return for the postseason, with a slight possibility of him playing again before the regular season concludes. The injury occurred in the seventh inning of Sunday’s loss to the Miami Marlins. In his absence, Edmundo Sosa will take over at shortstop.
Replacing Turner’s production will be a significant challenge. He is enjoying a career year, with defensive improvements and offensive adjustments making him one of baseball’s most valuable players. Turner’s 6.6 WAR ranks fourth in the majors, his 179 hits lead the National League by a margin of 21, and he is the only qualified NL hitter with a batting average above .300.
Bohm has a cyst in his shoulder that will be drained and treated with an injection. Thomson anticipates he will be ready to return in 10 days. For the season, Bohm is batting .272/.319/.384, though he has struggled recently with a .518 OPS over his last 15 games. He previously missed time this year with a left rib fracture.
The Phillies began the week with a four-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League’s second playoff seed, which includes a first-round bye. Securing that bye would delay the start of their postseason until October 4, granting Turner more than three weeks to recover.
This is not Turner’s first hamstring issue. He missed 11 days with a mild right hamstring strain for the Washington Nationals in 2017 and 44 days with a more severe left hamstring strain for the Phillies in 2024. However, those injuries occurred in April and May, far from the high-stakes pressure of a late-season playoff race.
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