During the 2024 MLB season, Philadelphia Phillies fans made headlines for doing something rare in professional sports. They began showing support for a struggling baseball star, and at that time, the player was Trea Turner.
Turner hit a brutal slump in the 2023 season. Turner was batting just .235 with a .657 OPS. This disappointed him, considering he had signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Phils.
Instead of booing Turner off the field as any sports fan would, the Philly fan base delivered a heartfelt message: They gave him a standing ovation.
The night this had happened, Turner hit an RBI single. Following that, over his next 40 games, he slashed .337/.389/.668 with 16 home runs and 42 RBIs that season. He became one of the league’s hottest hitters that year. That moment changed his season and his team’s fate.
Moving forward to this season, another player on the Phillies may need that spark: the Phillies’ center fielder, Brandon Marsh.
At the start of the season, he hit just .212 with a .280 on-base percentage and two home runs, a noticeable dip from his 2023 season when he posted a .277 average and a .372 OBP. It was the highest OBP among Phillies regulars. A strikeout rate of 30% has also compounded his offensive struggles.
In 2023, he was one of the best defensive outfielders. Marsh is doing his best and remains one of the more significant pieces of the Phillies’ puzzle. Marsh is more than just an outfielder; he is a huge presence, a reliable player, and a clubhouse favorite. Like Turner– he is one of their own now. Those qualities can’t be measured on the stats sheet.
Given his contributions to the Phillies team and his popularity among fans, some believe that if they show support for Marsh, things will turn around for him just as they did for Turner. This could boost his confidence and performance and get him back to how he was playing before he was out for some time this season.
