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Why Trea Turner’s Slump Isn’t Worth Worrying About

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Author Connor Thomas

The Philadelphia Phillies have not had an ideal start to their 2023 campaign, and despite how last year ended in spite of a slow beginning, it’s not exactly comforting to watch this highly talented roster struggle through April and May. One of the chief catalysts of the struggle for the Phillies this season has been the newest superstar in the city, Trea Turner is off to a very non-Trea Turnerish start to his time in Philly. Turner, who is the reigning 1st Team All-MLB Shortstop, is slashing .262/.308/.399. He’s struck out 52 times already this year, putting him on pace for nearly 200 strikeouts this season. For reference, Turner has never struck out more than 132 times in any season in his career. His defense has also been shaky at points, which is more of a footnote when compared to his offensive numbers, but still worth mentioning. So, what in the world is going on with the Phillies’ new $300 million man?

Nothing we need to be overly concerned about. I’m not exactly sure what to point to in order to explain Turner’s rough start to the year. It could be the fact that his swing path looks elevated, leading to more fly balls and strikeouts, it could be the moves around the lineup, or it could just be some early season pressures of a huge contract and a new city. What I do know, though, is that Turner is fine, and there’s history to show that point as well. I have to give credit where credit is due, John Foley put out the below tweet the other day that was the inspiration for this post. He’s a great follow on Twitter for any and all Phillies fans:

?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">May 18, 2023

Just look at those numbers. Realmuto, Harper, Schwarber, and Castellanos all had pedestrian to downright bad starts to their time with the Phillies. Now, would it be nicer if the stars that this team signed/traded for started out hot instead of ice cold? Absolutely it would be. But, in reality, Turner’s start is not an anomaly. In fact, it’s very much the norm. In football, a slump for a quarter of a season can cost a player a job. In basketball, a shooting slump of 40 games means you’re out of the league. In hockey, you can’t go this long without producing or you’ll find yourself in the AHL. But this is baseball, the sport of longevity. The ultimate “water finds its level” sport. So be patient, both with the Phillies and with Trea Turner. He’ll pay us all back in the long run.

Related:

Ranking The Starting Phillies' Walk-Up Songs

Here’s a definitive, opinion-based list ranking the Phillies‘ walk-up songs. Thanks to this list on MLB.com, we can take a look at all the songs the Phillies have selected.

The Phillies’ Walk-Up Songs

The individual walk-up song has forever changed the ballpark experience for players and fans alike. The walk-up song not only serves as a way to get a crowd and players hype, but it also provides fans with some insight into the music taste of their favorite players.

These players pick whatever will get them excited to play. Whether it’s a slow jam, a funny song, or something that’s super epic, they pick what works for them.

Philadelphia Phillies on Twitter: "First big bucket of the year pic.twitter.com/Ap40Tuvm5K / Twitter"

First big bucket of the year pic.twitter.com/Ap40Tuvm5K

This list in no way judges the Phillies players according to their stats or how great they are at the plate. It’s ranked based on how good the song is at hyping up the crowd and getting a player motivated to do their best. Of course, all music ranking is subjective, but in this case, there may be a definitive best and worst song.

Some of these Phillies have really iconic walk-up songs. So iconic, in fact, that the entire stadium will begin to loudly sing along as soon as the song starts to play, shouting out the name of the player who’s stepping up.

So here’s the list, ranking the Phillies’ walk-up songs:

  • 10. Trea Turner

    Look Ahead by Future
    Lay Low by Tiësto

    This is a kind of boring selection. Except “Look Ahead” is good. “Lay Low” is okay…but not very fitting. “Look Ahead” is really good for a baseball walk-up song. It’s solidly hype.

  • 9. Johan Rojas

     

    HUMBLE.by Kendrick Lamar
    Oh Oh Oh (Veo Veo) by Ceky Viciny
    Los Cabareces by El Rubio Acordeon

    Johan is a young guy, so he knows what’s good with music. A highlight here for me has to be “HUMBLE.” The Kendrick Lamar song is fantastic to hype a crowd up. “Oh Oh Oh (Veo Veo)” is also a fantastic choice!

  • 8. Nick Castellanos

    BACK TO ME by Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, and ¥$

    Castellanos has changed his walk-up song to something way more hype, and I could not be happier. “BACK TO ME,” from Kanye West’s new album really speaks to me. No, literally. He walks up to the spoken-word part at the beginning of the song. It’s fantastic.

  • 7. Edmundo Sosa

    Love Sosa by Chief Keef

    Wow. What a track. What a great idea. The song is about loving Sosa. Who else to walk up to it but Edmundo SOSA?! Great choice by all involved.

  • 6. Alec Bohm

    Famous by Kanye West

    “Famous” works so well for Bohm. There is a whole section of the song where it sounds like a female voice is singing his last name. That’s GOTTA hype you up as a player, right? This is one that has grown on a lot of fans.

  • 5. JT Realmuto

    Money & Fame by NEEDTOBREATHE

    The beginning of this song is like the soundtrack to a movie. How can you walk up to bat while this is playing and NOT feel like a badass? You’ll know it when you hear it. JT knew what he was doing when he picked this one. And only one. He’s a simple guy.

  • 4. Bryce Harper

    Flower by Moby
    Paradise by Bazzi
    Should’ve Been A Cowboy by Toby Keith
    Ride Wit Me by Nelly, City Spud

    Bryce, man. He’s got a lot. In my opinion, he can get rid of “Paradise,” because it’s too wimpy. “Flower” is iconic. You’ll know it when you hear it and immediately think of Bryce. He really only needs that one, but you can’t fault him for variety!

  • 3. Brandon Marsh

    444+222 by Lil Uzi Vert
    Pluto to Mars by Lil Uzi Vert

    Props to Marsh for including a Philly-born artist. These songs are fantastic for getting a crowd excited. You’ll likely recognize them when you hear them, and that’s probably because of Brandon Marsh. “444+222” is a certified banger.

  • 2. Kyle Schwarber

    Thuggish Ruggish Bone by Bone Thugs N Harmony
    Fantastic Voyage by Lakeside
    Cult of Personality by Living Colour
    Grove St. Party by Waka Flocka Flame

    Maybe it’s his tendency to hit Schwarbombs that grabs our attention as he steps up to bat. Maybe it’s his FIRE walk-up songs. All three of these tunes perfectly encapsulate the fire he’s about to bring to the field. He’s a dynamic player with some really dynamic walk-up songs.

  • 1. Bryson Stott

    jaiden on Twitter: "stott grand slam w/ no commentators thx to ESPN's dolby 5.1 mix pic.twitter.com/2vhUzWKpup / Twitter"

    stott grand slam w/ no commentators thx to ESPN's dolby 5.1 mix pic.twitter.com/2vhUzWKpup

    AOK by Tai Verdes

    This is likely one of the most legendary Phillies walk-up songs. As soon as this song starts playing, the whole crowd at the ballpark begins to sing along, knowing Stott is about to be up. You can hear the crowd going nuts in the video above before his iconic grand slam. It’s a great party song that has easy lyrics to learn.

Connor Thomas is a lifelong Philadelphia sports fan who grew up in Hainesport, NJ. After playing collegiate and semi-professional baseball, his love for sports drew him to a career of hosting on 97.5 The Fanatic! As a diehard fan who's never afraid to let his passion and opinion be heard, Connor combines the voice of a new generation of Philly sports fans with the classic hard-nosed nature of the best sports city on the planet. As a content creator for 97.5 The Fanatic he writes about Eagles, Sixers, Phillies and Flyers.

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