Newcomer Turner settling in for long future in Philadelphia
The past few years have been a bit of a whirlwind for shortstop Trea Turner. They included a World Series title in Washington, a trade to the Dodgers — and then an 11-year, $300 million contract that brought him back to the NL East.
The one constant amid all that: Turner has played with some pretty impressive teammates. And that's not about to change.
“I've been on some really, really good teams with some great players — last year being one of them,” said Turner, the 2021 NL batting champion who last season hit .298 with 21 homers, 100 RBIs, 101 runs scored and 27 stolen bases for the Dodgers. “That's kind of the beauty and the difficult thing about baseball. The best teams don't always win. Just because we got a lot of talent in here and a lot of good guys, and they made it to the World Series last year, doesn't mean it's going to happen again. You've got to put in the work.”
The Phillies seemed to understand that this offseason. Yes, they won the National League pennant last year, but they were also an 87-win wild card appearing in the postseason for the first time in over a decade. And Philadelphia shares a division with teams in Atlanta and New York that appear formidable for the foreseeable future.
Signing Turner, a 29year-old who has been an All-Star the past two years, showed the Phillies are willing to stay aggressive, too.
It also gave Turner some stability. Washington declined quickly after winning the World Series in 2019. The Nationals eventually dealt both Turner and Max Scherzer to the Dodgers two seasons later. That put Turner right back in the postseason for a couple years.
All that moving — plus a pandemic and a lockout that created doubts about whether baseball would be played at all — could wear on anyone. But now Turner has a long-term deal with another strong team.
“That's something that me, my wife and my family wanted, was just, not have to rent anymore, not have to move around, not have to worry about getting traded,” he said. “A lot of guys, probably overwhelming majority, don't get to choose where they get to play for their career. Luckily enough, I was in a situation where I could pick. I'm stuck here, and nobody can tell me otherwise, so I think I'm really happy about that, that security.”
In Philadelphia's clubhouse at spring training, Turner's locker is right next to Bryce Harper's. The two played together in Washington before Harper signed with the Phillies before the 2019 season.
Song out of Navy, reporting to camp
The Phillies say Noah Song was discharged from the Navy and the pitching prospect is expected to arrive at the team's spring training camp today.
Song, a 25-year-old aviator and 2015 Claremont High School graduate, was taken by the Phillies in the winter meetings draft in December with hopes he would play after military service.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-hander was picked from the Boston Red Sox system in the draft for unprotected minor league players. Philadelphia put him on the military list while he continued active duty.
The Red Sox drafted Song in the fourth round in 2019 — he likely would've gone much higher, but his impending military service caused teams to back off.
Song impressed in his only pro season, making seven starts for Boston's Class A Lowell affiliate in 2019, with a 1.06 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 17 innings. With a fastball clocked in the upper 90s mph, the right-hander dominated that year as a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy, going 11-1 with a 1.44 ERA and 161 strikeouts in 94 innings. He finished as Navy's career leader in wins (32), strikeouts (428) and innings pitched (334-1/3).
In November 2019, Defense Secretary Mark Esper signed a memo clearing the way for athletes at military academies to delay service commitments and play pro sports after graduation. Song's request to have those rules retroactively applied to him was denied.
Song began school as a flight officer in the summer of 2020 and finished that phase last April. He started additional aviation training the next month.
Yankees' Montas has shoulder surgery
Frankie Montas won't start throwing until at least late May following right shoulder surgery, a timetable that could allow him to pitch for the New York Yankees in the season's second half.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday the labrum of the 29-year-old right-hander was cleaned up during the procedure a day earlier with Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache and Montas' rotator cuff did not need to be repaired. Montas won't throw for 12 weeks.
Montas was acquired from Oakland on Aug 1. and went 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts with the Yankees. He didn't pitch after Sept. 16 due to inflammation in his pitching shoulder.
Montas left a July 3 start at Seattle after 13 pitches with shoulder tightness and returned July 21.
He was coming off a career-high 13 wins for the A's in 2021.
Astros' McCullers Jr. out for start of season
Houston Astros righthander Lance McCullers Jr. says he will miss opening day for the World Series champions because of a strained muscle in his pitching arm.
McCullers, sidelined the first 41/2 months of last season while rehabbing from a right flexor pronator strain, noticed soreness after a bullpen session last week.
He had an MRI on Tuesday which showed no structural damage to his elbow but will delay his start.
“I've been a little bit upset,” the 29-year-old said. “I was really looking forward to a great start to the camp and a great start to the season.
“It will set me back a little bit, but it shouldn't be anything like last year. It should be something where hopefully I'm playing catch in a couple weeks.”
McCullers, who is 49-32 in seven big league seasons, missed the 2020 season following Tommy John surgery and went 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA in 2021, then was injured in the postseason.
He signed an $85 million, five-year contract before the 2021 season. McCullers made eight starts from Aug. 13 on last year and was 0-1 in three postseason outings.