Dodgers Opinion: Trea Turner, the Dodgers, and What Might Have Been
LOS ANGELES — As the Phillies roll into the Ravine this week, Dodgers fans know the feeling with Trea Turner: gratitude for what he did here, a little ache over what might’ve been, and an honest sense he may simply be where he always belonged.
The Dodgers chapter: star power, near-misses, real impact
Turner arrived at the 2021 deadline in the blockbuster with Max Scherzer and instantly became a heartbeat player, winning the NL batting title that year (.328 across WAS/LAD) and giving the Dodgers an electric top-of-the-order gear.
In 2022—his lone full season in LA—Turner posted 160 games of production (.298/.343/.466), 21 HR, 100 RBI and 27 SB, with elite value by WAR. That was the profile of an MVP-caliber shortstop on a 111-win juggernaut.
The October results, though, left scar tissue. In 2021 he scuffled in the NLDS and NLCS as the Dodgers fell to Atlanta; his postseason batting line with LA sits well below his regular-season standard. In 2022, he homered in NLDS Game 1, then a Game 2 error became a flashpoint in the series the Padres ultimately won. That October is the “near miss” Dodger fans still feel.
Free agency: was he ever really “ours”?
When Turner hit the market, the Dodgers never made a formal offer. He signed an 11-year, $300M deal with the Phillies—turning down an even larger offer from the Padres—amid persistent buzz that he preferred the East Coast for family reasons. It’s fair to say LA loved the player, but the fit and the finances didn’t line up.
At the same time, the Dodgers reallocated star money elsewhere: Shohei Ohtani (10 yrs/$700M), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12 yrs/$325M), and the Tyler Glasnow trade/extension—massive bets that reshaped the roster and payroll plan.
Philly fit: the arc since 2023
Turner’s first summer in Philadelphia famously flipped after that August standing ovation; he went supernova down the stretch and then hit .471 in the 2023 NLDS before the Phillies fell in the NLCS. In 2024 he was solid again (.295, 21 HR, 19 SB).
This year (2025), before the hamstring issue, Turner was quietly putting together a monster campaign: in 140 games he’s hitting .305 with an .815 OPS, 15 HR, 69 RBI, 94 R, and 36 SB. He sat six runs and 21 hits shy of a wild 100/200/15/30/.300 season—the kind a Phillie hasn’t reached since Ed Delahanty in 1893. Even if he returns before the schedule ends on Sept. 28, it’s a big ask to chase those totals now.
His status vs. the Dodgers (and October)
Turner is on the 10-day IL with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain. The Phillies expect him back by the postseason—and perhaps a bit earlier—based on both the diagnosis and Turner’s own target. As he put it, “As soon as possible obviously, but for the playoffs is most important.” He elaborated that the plan is to get ready without rushing it back. With 12 games left and Philadelphia tracking toward a first-round bye, his first postseason game would line up for Oct. 4. That’s nearly four weeks from the injury—about as friendly a runway as you could ask for.
So…did the Dodgers make the right call?
Short answer: Yes for LA, yes for Trea.
- From the Dodgers’ side: committing 11 years to a 30-year-old shortstop wasn’t their path. They pivoted to an unprecedented Ohtani deal, added a true ace-bet in Yamamoto, and traded for Glasnow. That resource allocation fits how they build around Mookie/Smith/Freddie and, notably, cleared the deck for Mookie Betts’ move to shortstop, which the club has doubled down on. Different blueprint, still elite.
- From Turner’s side: the “East Coast” through-line was real, and Philly has been a cultural and competitive match. The ovation, the October sparks, and now a near-historic 2025—this looks like the right marriage.
If you want to be romantic about it: LA borrowed Turner’s prime for 212 games of excellence and a 111-win ride; Philly gets the long story, with all the arcs. For a Dodgers fan blog, that’s the cleanest way to resolve the what-ifs—both sides did what made sense, and everyone landed where they were supposed to.
Quick series note (and what to watch)
- Turner’s IL stint likely keeps him out of this series at Chavez Ravine, but all signs point to October availability.
- Short of a Dodger sweep, Philly has effectively locked in October and is battling for seeding; that bye would set their NLDS Game 1 for Oct. 4.
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