Trea Turner came to the Philadelphia Phillies with so much pressure and expectation owing to the legacy he left with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the massive $300 million, 11-year contract he signed last December.
However, things are not panning out as many invested parties expected until that loss against the Miami Marlins in August.
Turner remembered the time he struggled in his debut season in Philadelphia. He is doing better now after an early season struggle, batting .500 (12-for-24) with four doubles in the playoffs. He also recorded two home runs, three RBIs, four stolen bases, and a 1.455 OPS.
What changed the direction of his Phillies stint? He traced his game's resurgence to a loss to the Miami Marlins on August 2, which he dubbed the low point of his career.
"Everybody wants to point to one specific moment," he told MLB.com.
"But that's when I started playing better, right after that. I'd say that was kind of the low point [in Miami]. It felt like that for a while, though. It felt like that for 50 games. I was just down there for so long. That was the tough part."
It's not just a realization; it's putting in the work
Turner's career resurgence happened not just because he realized something. He also put in the work by staying late after that game and throwing some more.
"A little bit of both," Turner said Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park when asked if he entered the batting cage to vent out or to practice.
"I don't know if it was punishing myself or, more like, getting some anger out, finding some solutions. It was probably more about finding solutions.
Turner is one of the team's veterans, and his leadership and dedication will be tested again as they vie for a spot in the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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