Watch: Phillies Star Trea Turner Belts Walk-Off Homer in Instant Classic—Fans Can’t Believe the Stat Line

Philadelphia Phillies star shortstop Trea Turner returned to the active roster for Sunday’s regular-season finale, just 22 days after a right-hamstring strain threatened to sideline him for the start of the playoffs. Turner logged five innings at short, reached base once, and—most importantly—looked comfortable running the bases, clearing the final medical hurdle ahead of Tuesday night’s National League Division Series opener. Turner first felt the hamstring tighten on Sept. 7 while legging out an infield single against Miami and was placed on the 10-day injured list the following afternoon. Early rehab work focused on strength and flexibility, but the biggest test came during a series of high-intensity base-running drills at Citizens Bank Park last week, which he completed without discomfort. Manager Rob Thomson told reporters that the club will “monitor workload but remove the governor” once the NLDS begins, signaling confidence that Turner can resume his usual top-of-the-order role and aggressively pursue extra bases. Turner’s return also lets Bryson Stott slide back to his natural second-base spot, restoring the infield alignment that fueled Philadelphia’s mid-summer surge. Before the setback, Turner was authoring one of the National League’s most complete campaigns, slashing .304/.351/.471 with 26 home runs, 37 stolen bases, and a league-best 189 hits in 141 games. Those numbers positioned him for a potential batting title; while three weeks on the shelf likely cost him that hardware, the Phillies value his elite top-end speed and gap power even more in a short postseason series. Opposing scouts point to the Turner–Kyle Schwarber 1-2 punch as a matchup nightmare for any pitching staff: Turner’s contact skills pressure defenses, and even a routine walk can turn into instant scoring position. With Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm swinging hot bats behind them, Philadelphia’s lineup again profiles as one of October’s most explosive. Fantasy managers and prop bettors should note that Philadelphia averaged 0.8 more runs per game when Turner was in the lineup this season. If his sprint speed trends near the 29.3 ft/s mark he posted pre-injury, expect green lights on the bases immediately—he stole five postseason bags last fall without being caught. For Phillies fans, Sunday’s cameo offered déjà vu of last year’s viral standing ovation that jump-started Turner’s second-half breakout; the cheers were even louder this time, a reminder of how integral he is to a club chasing its first World Series crown since 2008. All signs now point to Turner jogging out to shortstop on Tuesday night—healthy, rested, and ready to reprise his role as Philadelphia’s engine.