Turner grateful for reception: 'The fans have my back'?

PHILADELPHIA -- Phillies fans stood and cheered because they believe Trea Turner’s season can be saved.

They wanted him to hear that many still believe.

Turner received ovations and “Let’s go, Trea!” chants from Phillies fans during all four of his plate appearances in the Phillies’ 7-5 loss to the Royals on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. He remains a critical piece to Philadelphia's success, despite his struggles. He has two more months to get right.

“I thought it was pretty [freaking] cool,” Turner said. “The fans have my back. They’re showing up for me. It’s pretty cool to see. I wish we could have come out with the win right there, but I thought that was awesome.”

The good vibes movement gained steam following the Phillies’ seven-game road trip, which ended Thursday in Miami. Turner went 3-for-29 with a couple critical defensive mistakes. Phillies manager Rob Thomson dropped Turner from second to seventh and then to eighth in the lineup.

Philly being Philly, people wondered how Turner might be received on Friday. Booed? Maybe. He has never struggled like this in his life, batting .236 with 10 home runs, 35 RBIs and a .656 OPS. The poor play has been stunning considering Turner had been one of baseball’s best players for years. From 2018-22, Turner had 24.9 WAR, according to FanGraphs. It was the seventh-best mark in baseball behind Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, José Ramírez, Francisco Lindor and Alex Bregman.

It led to an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Phillies.

“Damn, it’s a humbling game,” Turner said. “Right? Like I said, keep going, keep working, keep doing all the things that got me here. Trust who I am and keep playing well and it’ll come back eventually."

Turner went 1-for-4 with an RBI on Friday. He lined out in the second, popped out following a six-pitch at-bat in the fourth, laced a hard-hit single to right-center to score a run in the sixth and grounded into a fielder’s choice in the eighth.

“That third one was really good, I thought,” Turner said. “That’s my swing right there. That’s something I haven’t been able to do for a while -- hit that fastball the other way. I feel like I’ve fouled that exact pitch off a thousand times this year. For that swing to come out right there was a really good sign. I’ve been working on that the last few days in the cage. If I can do that each and every at-bat and break those bad habits I’ve had and take that swing right there, I’ll be in a really good spot.”

Turner said his agent and wife told him that there had been a movement to cheer him on Friday. He learned fans even donated money to his favorite charity: V Foundation for Cancer Research.

“It definitely hit close to home,” Turner said.

It even hit home in the Phillies’ dugout. Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos waved a towel as Turner stepped to home plate in the second inning. Castellanos went through his own struggles last season.

“That’s what it’s about,” Castellanos said. “That’s how a relationship is built between a player and the city he plays for. Just knowing that they have his back and they want him to succeed, that they’re pulling for him.”

Now, nobody is naive enough to think a few cheers will break Turner from his slump. But Philly is tough, so the fans at the ballpark Friday just wanted to let him know they are pulling for him.

“Nobody wants to hear boos,” Turner said. “Everybody wants to be cheered all the time, but that means you’re performing and playing well. Sometimes you need that tough love, right?”

Growing up, Turner said his mother Donna provided tough love. He joked earlier this season that she texted him to say she booed him after an ugly seventh-inning strikeout in a game against Arizona. Turner smashed a game-tying home run with two outs in the ninth inning.

Turner said he heard from his mom after Friday night’s game.

“She said she cried in my first at-bat,” Turner said. “I guess the fans made her pretty happy.”