3 trade options for the Phillies to replace Trea Turner

With the star shortstop out for at least six weeks, could the Phillies add more depth via the trade market?

Trea Turner exited the Philadelphia Phillies’ 4-3 win versus the San Francisco Giants on Friday with a hamstring injury. According to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, the speedy infielder expects to miss up to six weeks recovering from his ailment.

The potential options that may be available via trade are that great. Hopefully, Turner will be back sometime during mid-June if his projected timetable with the injury is accurate. The Phillies need to remain healthy, specifically in their infield, over the next several weeks.

Reserve infielders Edmundo Sosa and Whit Merrifield will see an increase in playing time in Turner’s absence. Could manager Rob Thomson look to play Bryson Stott at shortstop some days? It’s possible, with Turner unavailable for a lengthy period.

Stott played 83 games at shortstop during the 2022 season. Merrifield hasn’t played at the position during his major league career. If Thomson decides not to play Stott at shortstop occasionally, the Phillies will look to Sosa and recent call-up Kody Clemens to fill the void.

Should Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies front office consider trading for an infielder with an expiring contract that can play shortstop? They should explore the idea of doing so if they can find the right fit. The question is is that player available? Not many teams are looking to sell at the moment.

Shortstops who will be free agents after his season include Amed Rosario, Willy Adames, and Ha-Seong Kim. However, Philly does not have room for any of them to play often this year with their roster as constructed when healthy. All three infielders are playing for other teams that could contend for playoff spots and may not be available.

Here are three trade options to replace Trea Turner.

Brandon Crawford

Brandon Crawford is a backup at this point in his career. He contemplated retirement last offseason. The St. Louis Cardinals signed him to a one-year deal in a reserve role behind their young shortstop, Masyn Winn.

Crawford has been declining significantly since last year. He played in 94 games and finished with a slash line of .194/.273/.314 and an OPS of .587. In seven contests this year for the Cardinals he has a .105/.190/.105 line with a .295 OPS.

It’s unknown if the Cardinals will contend for a playoff spot. The Phillies look more likely to make the postseason in 2024, and Crawford may be interested in the opportunity to compete on a team aiming to win a World Series.

However, with experienced reserve infielders in Sosa and Merrifield already on the roster, does it make sense to add another who was thinking of retiring last offseason? Crawford is an accomplished player, having played on two championship-winning teams with the San Francisco Giants in 2012 and 2014.

While it may be intriguing for the Phillies to acquire another veteran player as they pursue a championship this year, it doesn’t make much sense for them to trade for him based on his current level of offensive production.

Verdict: Pass

Let’s look at another veteran shortstop on a team already well out of contention for a playoff spot.

Paul DeJong

The Chicago White Sox had a dreadful first month of the season. They are the worst team in the majors with a 7-26 record and will certainly be sellers leading up to the trade deadline on July 30.

If the Phillies were to acquire shortstop Paul DeJong, he could serve as more depth in the short term for them in light of Turner’s injury. The White Sox infielder has played in 28 contests this year, 24 being starts. He has a .947 fielding percentage with four errors.

The 30-year-old is hitting .210 with a .639 OPS, three home runs and a 39.5 percent strikeout rate in 28 games. DeJong hasn’t replicated his success in his first year back in 2017 when he had a .285/.325/.532 and an OPS of .857 in 108 games with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Should the Phillies trade for him? Not necessarily. Philadelphia should consider all of their trade options at the shortstop position, but it doesn’t make much sense to trade for a struggling player such as DeJong, especially if they don’t have a lot of injuries to one position group.

Besides Turner’s ailment, Philly has a relatively healthy infield. If Sosa and Clemens can play well in his absence, a trade for the White Sox infielder is unnecessary. DeJong doesn’y hold much value as a bench player for the Phillies.

Verdict: Pass

Let’s look at a shortstop on another club whose season has been affected by a plethora of injuries.

Tim Anderson

The Miami Marlins are another club ravaged by injuries so far in 2024. They are in last place in the NL East and look to be sellers. Luis Arráez is now a member of the San Diego Padres as Miami traded the second baseman in a multi-player deal on on Friday.

Tim Anderson is in the final year of his contract, but the 30-year-old doesn’t have a good stat line in 32 games. He has a line of .219/.261/.248 and a .509 OPS. However, his productive past with the White Sox does make him an intriguing addition to the Phillies. They could use him to improve their depth for a potential postseason run. Following Turner’s injury, he could provide the club with another experienced presence at shortstop.

He may be continuing to show signs of decline that started in 2023. However, his career stat line is .280/.311/.418 with an OPS of .729. While the Phillies don’t have as much room for him with a healthy Turner, Anderson represents one of the better options that may be available for Philly to acquire via trade.

Verdict: Consider