Trea Turner takes the leadoff spot for the Phillies out of necessity

Trea Turner had not hit leadoff since May 22, but on Wednesday afternoon, the Phillies shortstop’s name was penciled in at the top of Rob Thomson’s lineup card. Part of this was out of necessity. Kyle Schwarber, who normally bats leadoff, had played in all of the Phillies’ 114 games this season. But Thomson said it was also because Turner has been hitting better of late.

Since receiving a standing ovation at home on Friday, Turner has hit .368/.400/.737 with six RBIs and one home run. It’s a small sample size, but it made Thomson feel more comfortable batting Turner first.

“It was really the only choice for me,” Thomson said.

In all likelihood, Schwarber will bat leadoff on Thursday. When asked if he’d consider batting Turner leadoff again at some point this season, Thomson said “not right now.”

Bryson Stott spent most of his time at shortstop last season. It made sense. He played shortstop throughout college, and Jean Segura was playing second base for the Phillies for most of 2022 (with the exception of an IL stint last summer). But in 2023, Stott has had to adjust to not just a new double-play partner in Turner but also to playing second base full time.

With that in mind, Stott visited infield coach Bobby Dickerson this offseason at his home in Mississippi. They worked on turning double plays, with a focus on how quickly Stott was transferring the ball and his footwork.

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“Well, most of his time was spent at shortstop last year, so he was making the transfer to second base, so the pivot is a little bit different,” Dickerson said. “Everything is in front of you at shortstop, and the runner is coming from the side of you now, and you’re throwing from the side. You have to redirect the ball. It’s a little bit different of an angle.

“It’s just repetition, repetition, getting his transfers quicker. He’s got plenty of arm strength.”

Dickerson said that some days are better than others. He’s seen Stott turn excellent double plays and he’s also seen him look off-balance during his transfer. But he believes that it’ll become more crisp and quick with time.

Aug. 1 sticks out to Dickerson. The Phillies were playing in Miami and Jacob Stallings grounded into a double play. Catcher Garrett Stubbs threw it to Stott, who threw it to Bryce Harper at first base in time to get Stallings out.

A few innings later, in the seventh inning, Luis Arraez hit a double to right field. Nick Castellanos threw it to Stott, who made a great relay throw home to Stubbs in time to tag out Stallings at home.

In Dickerson’s mind, those plays don’t just show arm strength — they show good ball transfer.

“Those were two really strong plays,” he said. “Real quick.”

While Stott’s overall defensive metrics are good — Stott has seven defensive runs saved, which ranks fourth among all second basemen in baseball — he is turning double plays at a lower percentage than last year.

According to Sports Info Solutions, Stott turned 25 double plays in 36 opportunities in 2022 (69%) and has turned 56 double plays in 102 opportunities in 2023 (55%). It’s something he will continue to work on with Dickerson every couple of days.

“The way he played shortstop, we knew he would do it,” Dickerson said. “I guess maybe he’s a little more advanced than I thought he would be at this point with the pivots and everything he’s doing over there. But he’s a talent. Quick learner.”

José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) will throw a bullpen session on Thursday. If it rains, he’ll throw inside. The next step for the reliever will likely be a rehab assignment. … Outfielder Cristian Pache (right elbow irritation) started a rehab assignment with single-A Clearwater on Tuesday. The plan is for him to play three games in Clearwater, then transfer to a different affiliate.