Rob Thomson gives struggling Trea Turner a day off in finale against Orioles
Turner is 4-for-27 in his last seven games and will get a two-day break with no game on Thursday.
After Trea Turner made two errors and got ejected for arguing a called third strike in the sixth inning Monday night, Phillies manager Rob Thomson asked the struggling shortstop if he needed a day off.
”No way,” Turner said. “I want to play.”
”You got it,” Thomson said.
But Thomson also said Tuesday that he was thinking of sitting Turner one day this week to give him a two-day breather with Thursday’s off-day. True to his word, he plans to rest Turner in Wednesday night’s series finale against the Orioles, Thomson said in his weekly interview with 94-WIP, the team’s flagship radio station.
» READ MORE: Trea Turner’s struggles in his first season with the Phillies extend to his defense
Turner is 4-for-27 in his last seven games, the latest struggle in an overall disappointing first season with the Phillies. He’s batting .245/.297/.384 with 10 homers and 107 strikeouts. His .681 OPS is well below his career .825 mark.
It will mark only the second game that Turner has not started. The Phillies have no plans to give him additional rest. Thomson also has stuck with Turner in the No. 2 spot in the order.
”He’s going to play his way out of this,” Thomson said Tuesday. “As long as he mentally feels strong and good, then I’m good with it.”
» READ MORE: The trade deadline won’t save the Phillies. Trea Turner and the rest must do it themselves.