Phillies' Trea Turner exits after hit-by-pitch, expected to be ready for playoffs

The Phillies have already clinched the top NL Wild Card spot with an 89-72 record heading into the final day of the regular season, and have turned their attention to preparing for the club’s playoff run.

Fans in Philadelphia suffered a scare regarding the availability of shortstop Trea Turner when he exited the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader after being hit in the elbow by a pitch. Fortunately, Turner only suffered a bruise from the incident, as noted by Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. As relayed by Coffey, manager Rob Thomson told reporters yesterday that while Turner is unlikely to play in today’s regular-season finale, he’s expected to be ready to go for the start of the wild-card series on Tuesday. After a rough start to his $300M contract with the Phillies in the first few months of the season, Turner has caught fire at the plate in recent weeks, slashing .339/.391/.677 over his last 47 games. That hot stretch has raised his overall slash line this season to .266/.320/.459, good for an above-average 108 wRC+.

Meanwhile, as the Phillies look for a platoon partner for outfielder Brandon Marsh headed into the playoffs, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb suggests that the club could turn to 29-year-old rookie Weston Wilson. Wilson has appeared in just five games with the Phillies this year but has hit well in limited playing time, with two hits (including a home run) and six walks in 12 trips to the plate. Wilson, who slashed .325/.416/.609 in 178 trips to the plate against lefties at the Triple-A level this year, could usurp Cristian Pache as the club’s starter in left field against left-handers thanks to Pache’s brutal .091/.231/.152 slash line in 15 games this September.

More from around the NL East…

• Even after reportedly hiring David Stearns to become the club’s new president of baseball operations this offseason, the Mets are still looking to add to their organizational leadership. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, owner Steve Cohen figures to “ramp up” efforts to hire a new team president to replace Sandy Alderson, who vacated the position back in February. The search for a new team president began last September when Alderson announced he would be stepping down. At the time, the club was reportedly focused on candidates who would primarily hone in on the club’s business operations. Given the impending hiring of Stearns to helm the club’s baseball operations, it stands to reason this plan remains in place as the Mets renew their search for a team president.
• The Braves announced this afternoon that they have recalled left-hander Dylan Dodd, who figures to start Sunday’s regular-season finale against Washington. The Braves have long since clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, allowing the club to offer right-hander Bryce Elder some additional rest ahead of the club’s postseason run. Elder, whose 180 2/3 innings of work between the majors and minors this season represents a career-high, was one of the club’s most reliable starters early in the season but has struggled badly in recent weeks with a 5.26 ERA in ten starts since the calendar flipped to August. With Charlie Morton expected to remain on the injured list until the NLCS, Elder is perhaps the club’s most likely option to start Game 3 of the NLDS behind Max Fried and Spencer Strider.