New Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner has been Team USA’s hero in the knockout stages of the World Baseball Classic.
He hit a grand slam in the eighth inning of the quarterfinal game against Venezuela to turn a 7-5 deficit into a 9-5 lead.
He also homered two times in Sunday’s semifinal showdown against Cuba.
The two-homer game put him in a select space in USA baseball history.
“Trea Turner was informed that he and Ken Griffey Jr., his current hitting coach, are the only players with multi-homer games for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. ‘I just can’t wait to tell him,’ Turner said,” MLB insider Alden Gonzalez tweeted.
Trea Turner was informed that he and Ken Griffey Jr., his current hitting coach, are the only players with multi-homer games for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
“I just can’t wait to tell him,” Turner said.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) March 20, 2023
You may not believe it, but Turner now leads all hitters in the WBC with four long balls.
He is hitting a healthy .368/.429/1.000 with 10 RBI and a 1.429 OPS.
He has been America’s best hitter in the tournament, and happens to hit ninth in the lineup.
That has got to be the best ninth hitter in baseball history.
A speedster to begin his career, Turner has developed 20-homer power over the years as he ages.
He is now a threat to go 25-30 any given season.
That, and his excellent hitting profile (average, contact, on-base ability, power, and speed) secured him a nice payday over the offseason: the Phillies gave him $300 million to be their starting shortstop.
It’s safe to say he will be hitting much, much higher in the batting order in Philadelphia, probably in the top three of a stacked lineup.
He has a good chance to win his second World Series with the Phils.
NEXT: Trea Turner Has Officially Become An American Hero
