The Los Angeles Dodgers fell into trouble watching the free agent (FA) market twice in the winter of 2021 and the winter of 2022. This is because the main shortstops have obtained FA qualifications in a row. It took a lot of money to catch it, but it was a waste of skills to let it go.메이저놀이터
After the 2021 season, Corey Seager (29‧ Texas), who received great attention as the team’s next-generation franchise star, qualified for free agency. The Dodgers gave up Ciger after much thought. I thought it would be difficult to follow the 10-year total of $325 million proposed by Texas. And there was already a trade with Washington to recruit Trey Turner (30‧ Philadelphia). It was the first-class insurance prepared in case Ciger left.
Turner proved the Dodgers’ choice was right. Last year, he played 160 games and hit 194 hits, with a batting average of 0.298, 21 homers, 100 RBIs, 101 runs scored, 27 stolen bases, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.809. At least last year, the gap in cigar was not revealed. The problem is that Turner also obtained free agency status after the 2022 season.
Turner received interest from several teams and was known to favor the East Coast, and when Philadelphia offered an 11-year total of $300 million, the Dodgers gave up Turner without looking back. Turner directly stated that the Dodgers did not make any offers after moving to Philadelphia. The Dodgers considered Gavin Lux as a replacement for Turner.
Although it was a big ordeal when Lux suffered a knee injury during an exhibition game and was out for the season, Turner’s performance this year is giving Philadelphia a headache. This is because his performance has not been good since the first year of his big contract.
As of the 2nd (Korean time), Turner has played 55 games and completed 247 plate appearances, the most in the league, but his batting average is only 0.236. He has an on-base percentage of 0.279 and an OPS of just 0.648. His OPS is 23% below league average. Although he recorded 5 home runs and 8 stolen bases, Turner’s greatest strength, sophisticated hitting, has not been revived.
▲ Trey Turner falls far short of $300 million expectations
▲ Turner has emerged as a major concern for Philadelphia fans.
It’s the worst time in Turner’s career. Turner, who made his major league debut in 2015, has never posted an OPS of 0.648 in any 55-game span. Literally right now, he is going through the darkest tunnel since his debut.
Looking at the detailed indicators, it is even more bleak. Turner’s hard hit rate (balls hit over 95 mph) fell from 46.2% in 2021 and 41.6% last year to 36.6% this year. Moreover, his strikeout rate has risen to over 20% (24.7%) for the first time since 2015, his debut season. In the first place, it is a style of hitting rather than a style with many walks.
Also, the rate of swing misses and the rate of bats hitting manned balls are at the bottom of the league. The miss rate is in the bottom 85%, and the percentage of bats hitting manned balls is in the bottom 91%. Given these leading indicators, it is not easy to predict a rebound for the time being.
Turner isn’t big. Instead, he is a style that emits explosive energy in a suitable size. Usually, these players age relatively quickly, and there are cases where their performance deteriorates quickly. Philadelphia was aware of this risk, and the idea was to recover as much principal as possible in the first four or five years. But I can’t help but feel anxious from the first season.