Major League Baseball

Phillies fans give struggling Trea Turner standing ovation

Published Aug. 4, 2023 9:18 p.m. ET

It has been a nightmarish first season with the Philadelphia Phillies for Trea Turner, highlighted by a crucial error in a high-stakes game Wednesday against the Marlins that paved the way for a Miami comeback victory.

Turner entered Friday's game with a slash line .235/.290/.368 — all right around career lows that came during his first MLB stint in 2015 and a far cry from the player that helped the Washington Nationals to a World Series title in 2019 and received MVP votes in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

It's hard enough to fall so short of expectations in the first year of an 11-year, $300-million contract, and Turner had been hearing it from the Philadelphia faithful. But after Turner showed his remorse following Wednesday's loss, local sports radio producer Jack Fritz decided to rally fans to try something else — giving him a standing ovation at his next home plate appearance.

The idea quickly caught on among Phillies fans, with even Philadelphia Eagles assistant coach Jeff Stoutland getting in on the action.

And sure enough, when Turner stepped up to the place at Citizens Bank Park for the first time Friday, he was greeted with a massive ovation, including from his own dugout.

Turner later lined out, but not after a moment he nor anyone involved will forget any time soon.

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