PHILADELPHIA- Luxury tax be damned; the Phillies are all in this upcoming season.
Today, the Phillies signed all-star shortstop Trea Turner to an 11-year, $300 million contract, according to MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel.Signing Turner will almost assuredly incur an additional luxury tax penalty for the Phillies, as this will be the second year in a row that the team is above the $230 million tax threshold. For a team that desperately wants to return to (and win) the World Series, though, this is what it takes.
We're going to push the needle to try to win," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said at a press conference in November. "We're close, we're going to try to win. Would I prefer to be under (the luxury tax?) Yeah, I would prefer to be under but I couldn't say we're going to be under. We're going to try to do what we can to make our club a championship-caliber club."
After a well-publicized free-agent pursuit this offseason, the Phillies finally got their man. Turner, 29, is one of the most electric players in the league. A former all-star and World Series champion, Turner is everything the Phillies are looking for at shortstop.
Turner has been one of the most elite batters at his position over the past three years and the data backs that up.
Turner has made the National League All-Star team each of the last two seasons. Turner also led the majors in hits in back-to-back seasons (2020 and 2021).
Over the past three seasons, Turner has been the second-best hitting shortstop in the majors, generating a higher OPS+ than everyone except Fernando Tatis Jr., whose output came in half as many plate appearances due to injury and suspension.
Last season, Turner slashed .298/.343/.466 with 39 doubles, 21 homers, and 27 steals in 30 attempts for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022. His impressive blend of speed and power is what makes him special and teams will have nightmares trying to navigate safely through the Phillies lineup.
Again, it will cost the Phillies an arm and a leg, but for a superstar like Turner, the hefty price is worth every penny. He will be the best-hitting shortstop the team has had since Jimmy Rollins and should rake between sluggers Rhys Hoskins and Kyle Schwarber at the top of the lineup.
Powered by former NL MVP Bryce Harper and with Trea Turner now in town, the Phillies' offense looks as potent as ever. With the additional firepower in the lineup, the reigning NL Champs seems like an early favorite for another World Series run.
Following an unpredictably wild 2022 season, the Phillies may have another historic year in store for them.
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