Can Trea Turner win the NL batting title?

Phillies shortstop missed six-weeks while recovering from a left hamstring strain from early May to the middle of of June.

Now he has accumulated enough at-bats to qualify for the National League batting title this season and he is with-in striking distance of NL leader Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves, who is currently hitting .308 this season.

Turner is hitting .305, ranking second in the National League and fifth in all of Major League Baseball, tied with San Diego’s Luis Arraez who is also at .305.

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Bobby Witt of Kansas City is the overall leader, hitting .346. He is followed by Aaron Judge (.333) and Vladimir Guerrero (.322) in the Top 3 spots.  Ozuna is fourth with Turner and Arraez tied for fifth in the majors. 

The Phillies have had eight different batting champions, but have not had a winner since Richie Ashburn hit .350 back in 1958.

If might not seem like it, with the teams recent struggles, but Turner is having a fine season, his second in Philadelphia Though he is slashing just 268/.294/.361 on the month, he has done enough to give himself a shot at his second NL batting crown. Turner won the award in 2021, splitting time between Washington and the Dodger, hitting .321 that season.

In 91 games he also has 14 home runs, 47 RBI and 14 stolen bases in the No. 2 spot in the Phillies lineup.

Phillies make some roster moves

The team announced that Weston Wilson is back from the paternity list. To make room for him on the 26-man roster, infielder Buddy Kennedy, a Millville High School graduate, was optioned to triple-A Lehigh Valley. At Lehigh, Kennedy was having a fine season, hitting .313 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs in 56 games.

Kennedy got the call on Monday, but did not appear in a game for the Phillies during his time here.

He was acquired from Detroit for cash considerations earlier this season.