Phillies' Trea Turner Gets Honest About Switching Positions After Tough Year

After a tough end to the 2026 MLB season, the Philadelphia Phillies are now entering a crucial offseason that will be filled with all sorts of questions.

Many of these will be centered around who the next manager will be, with interim skipper Don Mattingly not expected to return. But there are plenty of others that could determine the fate of the Phillies moving forward.

One of which has to do with star shortstop Trea Turner, following a rough year for the veteran. The 33 year old played in 157 games for Philadelphia this year, and he saw issues take place both at the plate and defensively.

Offensively, Turner hit .242 with 19 home runs and 58 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .675. Statistically, 2026 was the worst of his career since his rookie year, and his issues really held this team back.

But entering the offseason, there are real questions around whether Turner can remain at shortstop. When the Phillies signed him a few years ago, the idea was to have him be the shortstop for the rest of his career, but other teams were wary about his long-term ability to play the position.

Now, Philadelphia is weighing how to proceed with the veteran infielder, and changes could be made as early as next season. When asked about the possibility of making a position change next year, Turner wouldn't commit to anything, saying that he would see what happens over the offseason.

But the veteran did say that he understands questions will be asked after the year that he just put together. The Phillies' offseason will be centered around multiple decisions, with this being one of the biggest for the team.

Once Philadelphia finds its new manager, this could be an early conversation that will need to be had. Turner still has seven more years left on his massive contract that he signed with the Phillies, so whoever takes over will need to do this carefully.

The veteran has declined fairly heavily at shortstop, and he is now viewed as a liability at the position. So, while the new manager will tread carefully with Turner, it's a move that will need to be made.

Nothing is guaranteed of course, and Turner could remain as the team's shortstop next season. But for this team to reach the heights that they want to get too, this is certainly a decision that needs to be discussed heavily as the winter starts.