Phillies’ Trea Turner exits game vs. Mets after being hit by pitch
The Phillies shortstop departed Thursday’s series-opening loss Mets with a bruised right calf after taking a 79.2 mph sweeper off the leg from Sean Manaea in the first inning.
For the second time this week, Trea Turner left a game early after being hit by a pitch.
The Phillies shortstop departed Thursday’s 6-4 loss to the Mets with a bruised right calf after taking a 79.2 mph sweeper off the leg from Sean Manaea in the first inning. Turner remained in the game initially as a baserunner, scoring a run, but was replaced at shortstop by Edmundo Sosa in the third inning.
» READ MORE: Mets jump on José Alvarado in seventh inning of Phillies’ 6-4 loss
Sosa switched from left field, where he had started the game. Justin Crawford entered the game in center, sliding Derek Hill to right field and Brandon Marsh to left.
“Got hit in a tough spot, right above the bottom of the calf towards the bottom, where he starts getting into the Achilles,” interim manager Don Mattingly said. “He was having trouble putting pressure, pushing off. … He said he was having trouble on defense, felt like he was a liability on defense, so he couldn’t really move. Day off [Friday], hopefully it’ll be good by the night game [Saturday]. We’ll see.”
Turner exited Monday’s game against the Marlins with a bruised right wrist after getting drilled with a fastball, and sat out on Tuesday as it was still inflamed.
In his return to the lineup Wednesday, Turner finished with three hits, and said he felt like he was “on a good track” at the plate.
No matter what moves the Phillies make before the trade deadline Monday, they will have to fix some of their issues internally. Chief among them: Trea Turner's defense at shortstop. And that's where infield coach Bobby Dickerson comes in. Dickerson sat down with "Phillies Extra," The Inquirer's baseball podcast, to discuss Turner's struggles, the problems with analytics in measuring defense, his unique coaching style, and more. Watch here.
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