Phillies Dave Dombrowski Reveals Telling Thoughts on Trea Turner For 2027

The Philadelphia Phillies have some big questions to answer around the roster as the offseason moves forward.

After falling short again in 2026, the Phillies will now work to build a contender for next season, trying to win a World Series title. Philadelphia has an aging core in place, but this team is still very talented.

As the offseason continues for the Phillies, one main talking point around the team has involved shortstop Trea Turner. Turner is coming off the worst season of his career, with the Phillies having real concern about his play at shortstop.

Following this, there has been discussion about Turner switching positions, which was talked about when the Phillies signed him years ago. Multiple teams were concerned about Turner's long-term ability at shortstop, but Philadelphia signed him anyway.

Turner has now become a true liability at the position, putting the Phillies into a tough spot going forward. But it seems that the veteran won't be changing positions heading into 2027, with Turner working on his game at shortstop.

At the general manager meetings, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski confirmed that Turner would be the team's shortstop next year. But if Turner were to struggle again, Philadelphia does have multiple options to choose from.

Prospect Aidan Miller, Bryson Stott, or prospect Bryan Rincon could see time at shortstop if Turner were to have issues again. But Dombrowski is hoping that the Phillies don't need to turn to these options.

“Hopefully we don’t have to use any of them,” Dombrowski said. “Hopefully, it works with him.”

In addition to his issues on defense, Turner's bat was a problem for the Phillies this past season as well. For the year, the veteran hit .242 with 19 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases, while posting an OPS of .675. 

The Phillies need Turner to have a bounce back year in 2027; otherwise, this group could be in some trouble. Turner is still on the books for seven more seasons, with him scheduled to make $27.2 million each year.

Philadelphia could try to trade Turner, getting off his salary, but due to the length of the deal and his play, it could be tricky. The Phillies would likely have to eat a large portion of the money, which the team may not be inclined to do moving forward.

Either way, it feels like the Phillies and Turner will be back together for next season, with the team hoping for better results. The clock is ticking on Turner, with the veteran fully understanding that his play could result in him going to the bench next year.