The Philadelphia Phillies are all in.
They correctly recognized that their contention window is wide open: they have several impact hitters, two aces, and a strong bullpen.
Of course, when you have Bryce Harper in his prime, your contention window will be open for a while.
To help him, the team needs to surround him with talent.
The existing talent on their 2022 roster took them to winning the pennant, but they fell short of a World Series title by two wins.
General Manager Dave Dombrowski is making sure to put the best possible roster on the field by addressing the few needs they had entering the offseason.
The Phillies needed a starter, then signed Taijuan Walker.
They needed a reliever, they inked Matt Strahm.
They needed a shortstop, and they paid Trea Turner big time to come to Philadelphia.
The 11-year, $300 million commitment is the biggest since they gave Harper $330 million before the 2019 season.
MLB insider Jon Heyman revealed the exact details of the deal.
Trea Turner, Phillies
$300,000,000/11$27,272,727/yr – 2023-2032
$27,272,730 – 2033$50,000 for All Star
$50,000 for LCS/MVP
$50,000 for Silver Slugger, Gold Glove
$50,000 for WS/MVP
$500K for MVP (50K 2nd, 25K 3rd)Full No Trade
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 8, 2022
The Phillies Sacrificed Some Future For Present Help
Turner will collect almost $27.3 million per year for the next 11 seasons.
For the Phillies, the length of the commitment could be more problematic than the average annual value.
Money-wise, it’s a fair salary for one of the most talented players in the majors.
However, paying a shortstop until he is 40 is usually not recommended.
Still, it’s what they had to do to secure the services of a game-changer.
Turner hit .298 in 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, scored 101 runs, drove in 100, knocked 21 balls out of the park and stole 27 bases while playing excellent defense.
His game has no weaknesses, and now the Phillies are going to enjoy watching him play.
NEXT: The Phillies Are Showing Off Their New Superstar Duo