WBC home run king ‘almost surpassed’ Lee Seung-yeop, shocking break for 4000 billionth hit, but why?

No one could have predicted this man’s ordeal: He was the “biggest name” in free agency last season, earning a massive $400 million contract, and then exploding for five home runs at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) to lead Team USA to a runner-up finish. But he’s fallen far short of expectations in the regular season. Even teams that were perennial favorites are underperforming.

The Philadelphia Phillies were runners-up in the World Series last year, and this season, they’re challenging for the big prize. Knocking on the door of the free agent market, the Phillies signaled their commitment to winning the World Series by signing one of the biggest names in free agency, Trey Turner, 31, to an 11-year, $300 million contract.

Turner just happened to be on a roll at the WBC, hitting five home runs to raise Philadelphia’s hopes. Turner’s five home runs tied him with Lee Seung-yeop in 2006 for the most in a WBC tournament in history. 스포츠토토

After hitting five home runs in six games in the WBC, Turner now has just four home runs in 45 regular-season games. His .257 batting average, .300 on-base percentage, and .393 slugging percentage with four home runs, 10 RBIs, and five stolen bases are not what the Phillies wanted or deserved for his $300 million price tag.

As a result, the Phillies have decided to give Turner a break after his underwhelming performance. Turner missed the team’s game against the Chicago Cubs on April 21. “It was just to give him a break,” Phillies manager Rob Thompson said, “and we thought it was best for him to get a day off and do some real work in the batting cage with hitting coach Kevin Long.” The Phillies are not surprised by Turner’s struggles.

CBS Sports on Wednesday cited Turner’s struggles as one of the reasons for the Phillies’ 22-24 record. “Turner resembles a player under pressure. He swung at 38 percent of pitches outside the strike zone, the highest of his career, and that translated into a 27.1 percent strikeout rate. “He also made some mistakes defensively, which is also a career high. He’s gotten worse, not better, as the season has gone on.”

Turner’s resurgence is absolutely necessary for the Phillies to rebound. “When he’s back on track, he’s a game-changing player with the best combination of power and speed in baseball,” said CBS Sports, “and his performance will be essential to a successful season for the Phillies.”