With Turner signing, Phillies set up to have one of the best lineups in franchise history in 2023
There will be a time and place to discuss how Rob Thomson should construct the Philadelphia Phillies lineup in 2023, but that day is not today.
What you need to know is this: After Monday’s reported signing of a Trea Turner to an 11-year/$300 million deal, no matter what order Thomson pencils into the lineup card, the Phillies are going to have one of the most imposing lineups in the sport.
There is a slight catch, as Bryce Harper won’t be ready for the start of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last month. At the time of his surgery, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia said that there was some thought that the two-time National League MVP could be back as a DH by “mid-May.” The Phillies offered a more cautious timeline on the seven-time All-Star, suggesting that he could be back by the All-Star Break in July.
In any event, the lineup will be loaded when Harper returns, perhaps as much as the 2009 team, which saw four players (Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raúl Ibañez) each top 30 home runs. That team won the National League pennant, a year after the Phillies won the World Series in 2008. Obviously, the 2023 Phillies will be hoping to flip that script.
And while offseason projections can often be overly optimistic, the Phillies are returning NL home run leader Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, who reasserted himself as the best catcher in baseball in 2022. Harper, whenever he returns, is one of this generation’s most gifted offensive players. And there’s reason for optimism with a variety of other players expected to be key contributors.
- Rhys Hoskins: For whatever flaws he has as a player — specifically as a defender — Hoskins homered 30 times and posted a .794 OPS in 2022. Would it be a shock if he approached 40 home runs in his contract year?
- Nick Castellanos: “There’s nowhere to go but up” is a legitimate argument that can be used when discussing Castellanos. His first year as a Phillie, from an individual sense, was disastrous. But while you probably shouldn’t hope for a massive defensive improvement from Castellanos, he finished second in all of baseball to Mookie Betts in doubles (247) between 2015 and 2021. He’s too good of a hitter not to bounce back to some degree.
- Bryson Stott: With the addition of Turner, Stott will shift to second base, which is probably his best defensive positions anyways. The .234/.295/.358 slash line that Stott posted in his rookie year wasn’t impressive, but between a slew of big hits and lengthy postseason at-bats, you feel like the former first-round pick has a bright future.
- Alec Bohm: The No. 3 overall pick rebounded from a disappointing second season and slow start to his third MLB campaign to hit .280 with 13 home runs and 72 RBIs. Bohm has shown flashes of tapping into his ability to pull the ball. If he can ever consistently drive the ball into both gaps, he’ll be an All-Star caliber hitter that runs into 25-30 home runs per year.
- Darick Hall: With Harper out indefinitely to open the season, Hall will become an important piece for the Phillies when they face right-handed pitching. He helped to keep the Phillies afloat in Harper’s absence in 2022, finishing his rookie season with nine home runs and an .865 OPS in 130 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.