Phillies make Trea Turner’s shortstop role conditional

The Philadelphia Phillies have not decided whether Trea Turner will remain their shortstop in 2027, but president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Turner must improve defensively to keep the position. Turner is the shortstop for now, and the team has fallback options if his play does not improve, Dombrowski said Thursday. Dombrowski said he met with Turner earlier this week to discuss his performance and future role. He said Turner understands the requirement and can stay at shortstop if he plays as he did in 2025, but not if he repeats his 2026 performance. Turner has not been moved, and the Phillies have not named an alternative position for him. The team has hired Carlos Mendoza as its third-base and infield coach for 2027, and Dombrowski said Turner would work with him. The Phillies will evaluate Turner as they prepare for next season, though the reporting says a possible labor stoppage could affect spring training. No final decision about Turner’s position has been announced. Turner committed 21 errors at shortstop in 2026, compared with eight in 2025. The reported defensive metrics for 2026 were minus-17 defensive runs saved and minus-8 outs above average; in...