Phillies shortstop Trea Turner returns for Game 162 and wins the National League batting title

Ever since Trea Turner hit the injured list on Sept. 8 with a hamstring strain, the Phillies have been hoping he would manage to return before the regular season ended.

Turner did, too.

“Postseason is obviously the most important,” he said this week. “But personally, I’d like to sneak a game in, because that means I’m healthy.”

Turner ultimately made it back just under the wire, leading off and playing five innings at shortstop in Game 162. Turner went 0-for-2, but he finished the season with a .304 batting average to lead the National League. He became the first Phillie to win the batting title since Richie Ashburn in 1958.

“I think it’s cool,” Turner said. “Only one guy gets in each league, which makes it tough. Can’t vote on it. ... I think it just means you had a consistent year and a good year.”

Turner said he hadn’t been tracking the race closely — he finished ahead of Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (.297) and Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (.295) — but his father and wife had been keeping him updated.

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It marks Turner’s second career NL batting championship after he won in 2021 when he hit .328 with the Dodgers.

“I think this year he used the field a lot better,” said manager Rob Thomson. “He controlled the zone a lot better. He’s had a really good year.”

Turner was the only National League hitter to finish above .300 this season. His .304 average is the lowest-ever by a National League champion. For Turner, that just shows how difficult hitting has become.

“Everybody throws 100 [mph], has six pitches, nobody knows where the ball’s going. There’s a lot of reasons,” he said. “Defenses are way better than they’ve ever been. If you’re a defender now and you don’t make plays, you get exposed. So to me, it makes a lot of sense.”

In 17 games hitting leadoff in Turner’s absence, Harrison Bader had a .286 batting average and a .737 OPS. He was out of the starting lineup on Sunday for a day off his feet. But now that Turner is back, the shortstop will be reclaiming his spot atop the lineup for the playoffs, Thomson said.

To clear a spot for Turner’s return, Max Lazar was optioned to the FCL Phillies. The right-hander pitched 2⅓ innings on Saturday and has a 4.79 ERA in the majors this season.

Lazar is ineligible to be recalled for 15 days, except in the case of injury. He will be unavailable for the National League Division Series roster but could be a relief option if the Phillies progress further in the playoffs.

The Phillies will hold an intrasquad game on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park to stay sharp and simulate game action during their bye week. Unlike the intrasquad game they held before the NLDS last year, which was closed to the public, the Phillies are allowing fans to attend this time.

“First off, it’s an opportunity for the fans to come out and see the guys, gives them an opportunity which they may not have otherwise,” Thomson said. “Plus, we want to make the game as real as possible. We did it last year with all the walk-up songs and scoreboard and everything like that. But now I’m going to add this level to it, and hopefully it helps.”

Tickets are $10, with proceeds benefiting Phillies Charities.

After a day off Monday, the Phillies will hold a workout on Tuesday. Thomson said they will hit off the velocity machines and curveball machines and work on pitcher fielding practice and other fundamentals. After the intrasquad game on Wednesday, the team will hold an optional workout Thursday and a mandatory workout Friday ahead of Game 1 on Saturday.

Max Kepler was back in the lineup Sunday after missing two games because of illness. … Cristopher Sánchez, who finished the season with a 2.50 ERA over a career-high 202 innings, will take the ball for the Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday.