Phillies get good news on Trea Turner's expected return date

Matt Sullivan

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Phillies get good news on Trea Turner's expected return date image

The Philadelphia Phillies are without a few key players late in the season, and while Zack Wheeler's absence is huge, Trea Turner's absence so late in the year was incredibly concerning.

He suffered a hamstring injury in September, with fears that it could be season-ending. Fortunately, the initial diagnosis wasn't bad, and there was a belief that Turner would be okay for the playoffs.

Now, according to a report from John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the Phillies got some even better news on Turner's recovery progress. Instead of returning in October for the playoffs, Turner might be back before then.

Phillies get good Trea Turner news

"Good news on Phillies shortstop Trea Turner." Clark writes. "He is making good progress with his hamstring issue and is expected to be back before the playoffs start."

This is an incredible update for the Phillies. From the fear they're without Turner for the rest of the year, to now Turner potentially returning before September comes to a close, it's a huge turn of events.

The Phillies won't rush Turner back, especially with the NL East locked up and a first-round bye on the horizon. But the fact that Turner is capable of returning before the postseason is a big deal.

Even if he doesn't play more than a game or two, shaking off any rust would be a good outcome for Turner, who would've been sitting for a few weeks upon his return.

Depending on how the rest of the season goes, the Phillies might still be playing for something in the final few series of the year. The Milwaukee Brewers have the top seed in the NL right now, but the Phillies are within striking distance.

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The Brewers are 92-59, while the Phillies are 91-61. They need the Brewers to lose a few games in their final series, while closing out the year strong to secure home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

If such an opportunity were to come up, the Phillies would have more reason to utilize Turner in the final weeks of the season, as home-field advantage throughout the postseason would be a huge deal.

Not many teams are as good as the Phillies are at home, and being able to have home-field advantage against every team in the postseason would be a big deal.

Getting Tuner back, who has an NL-leading .305 batting average and 179 hits, would be a huge boon for the offense. His defense has also been elite, and a return would be a nice way to get back to full strength before the postseason begins.

This report from Clark is good news for the Phillies and Turner, as his recovery is going so well that the Phillies are anticipating activating him in the final week of the regular season.

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Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. Matt is a native of Pennsylvania and has worked with Athlon Sports, Last Word on Sports, and other outlets.