Phillies Sign Star Trea Turner To 11-Year, $300M Deal: Reports

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Phillies have made their first major splash of the winter, signing star free agent shortstop Trea Turner to an 11-year, $300 million contract, according to multiple sources. It's the second largest contract handed out in franchise history after the team's record-breaking deal to land Bryce Harper in 2019.

Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN first reported the deal, which was later confirmed by others.

Turner will slot in as the team's everyday shortstop, moving Stott over to second base to replace the departing Jean Segura. As one of the game's best pure leadoff hitters, he's a sure bet to swing at the very top of the lineup for a team that hasn't had a true leadoff hitter since the days of Ben Revere and Jimmy Rollins.

RELATED: Bryce Harper's Shot Heard Around The World

As Patch noted a month ago, Turner has been connected to the Phillies for some time. He adds to a core of high-ceiling position players for the defending National League champions set to star in Philadelphia for at least the next several years. All of Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Nick Castellanos, Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh, and Alec Bohm are under control until at least 2025.

All of those players are still in some portion of their primes. Turner will be 30 on opening day in 2023.

Turner has quietly been one of the best all-around players in baseball for years. He finished fifth in MVP voting in 2021 and turned in another stellar season in 2022 atop LA's historically dominant lineup, batting .298 with an .809 OPS, 21 home runs, and 27 stolen bases. While he's one of the fastest baserunners in the game, he couples it with more power than any other speedster. He has a career .842 OPS, and during his banner year in the shortened 2020 campaign he boasted a .982 OPS and a .335 average.

SEE ALSO: Another Superstar, Trea Turner, Wants To Play For The Phillies

Beyond Turner's previously stated desire to play on the east coast, he has several other connections to Philadelphia. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are former teammates from his days as a National, and he's reportedly close friends with Harper. Moreover, Turner has credited improvements in his swing to former Nationals hitting coach — current Phillies hitting coach — Kevin Long.

RELATED: Phillies Extend President Dave Dombrowski After World Series Run

Then, of course, there's the fact that the Phillies just won the National League pennant and are clearly willing to spend big to take the final step.

Turner makes the entire Phillies lineup more dangerous by making it more diverse. Adding Turner to the leadoff spot allows them to bat Kyle Schwarber second, giving the true power hitter a chance to drive in more runs. Realmuto can bat third and Harper cleanup, giving the lefties some separation. Some combination of Rhys Hoskins, Castellanos, and Bohm will fill out the 5 through 7 slots. It will be, once again, one of the most fearsome lineups in baseball.

It marks the fifth straight offseason that the Phillies have made least one enormous deal. In each offseason since 2022, the Phillies have landed their primary target: Harper in 2018-19, Zack Wheeler in 2019-20, Realmuto in 2020-21, and Schwarber and Castellanos in 2021-22.