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Phillies' Updated Lineup, Payroll After Reported Trea Turner Contract Worth $300M
December 5, 2022
The Philadelphia Phillies got their man.
Superstar shortstop Trea Turner reportedly agreed to an 11-year, $300 million deal with the team on Monday, per multiple reports:
According to Spotrac, the Phillies will now head into the 2023 season with a projected tax payroll of $217 million.
Spotrac @spotracWith the addition of Trea Turner, the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Phillies?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Phillies</a> now carry 5 players with a tax salary of $20M or more.<br><br>They currently project to a $217M opening day tax payroll.<a href="https://t.co/RwV5iRuIHy">https://t.co/RwV5iRuIHy</a>
The defending National League champions will have one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball. Here's what the lineup could look like once superstar Bryce Harper is able to return from offseason Tommy John surgery—expected to be sometime around the All-Star break as a designated hitter and later in the season as the right-fielder:
- Trea Turner, SS
- Kyle Schwarber, DH
- J.T. Realmuto, C
- Bryce Harper, RF
- Nick Castellanos, LF
- Rhys Hoskins, 1B
- Bryson Stott, 2B
- Alec Bohm, 3B
- Brandon Marsh, CF
That is arguably the scariest lineup in baseball once Harper returns, assuming the Phillies can stay healthy. The Phillies could already mash, but adding the 29-year-old Turner—who hit .298 with 21 homers, 100 RBI, 101 runs, 27 stolen bases and an .809 OPS—will give the Phillies another dynamic player at or near the top of the lineup.
Add in the one-two punch of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola atop the rotation, and the Phillies are building a powerhouse.
There will be questions to be answered, like filling out the rotation behind Wheeler, Nola and Ranger Suárez. The bullpen was a huge issue in the World Series against the Houston Astros and needs to be improved. Teams with great pitching tend to fell teams with great hitting come October.
But the Phillies won't have many weaknesses at the plate. Turner's addition makes them a major threat heading into the 2023 campaign, and his addition is one of the signature signings of free agency this winter.