The Philadelphia Phillies’ playoff chase took a major hit as shortstop Trea Turner went down with a hamstring injury against the Miami Marlins.
Ahead of their series against the New York Mets, the team placed both Turner and third baseman Alec Bohm on the injured list. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Phillies hope Turner can return before October, but there’s a real chance he won’t be back this season.
With Turner sidelined, the urgency to find a temporary replacement has grown. That Ball’s Outta Here writer Henry Palattella noted that the timing couldn’t be worse: “September is perhaps the worst time for a superstar to get hurt.”
However, Phillies president Dave Dombrowski may have an option after the St. Louis Cardinals recently designated Garrett Hampson for assignment.
For now, Edmundo Sosa is expected to take over at shortstop, while Otto Kemp was called up to help offset the simultaneous loss of Bohm. Still, Philadelphia could look for outside help, and Hampson’s availability adds intrigue.
Hampson has struggled this year, hitting just .143 across three NL clubs, but he has eight years of big-league experience and once produced solid numbers with the Colorado Rockies, tallying 11 homers and 17 steals in 2019.
Known for his versatility, he’s played nearly every defensive position.
“Hampson would be the perfect kind of substitute in the time that (Turner) misses,” Palattella argued.
As the Phillies fight to stay in contention without their star shortstop, a roster move could be on the horizon.
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