LONDON — Neither Trea Turner nor the Phillies would be surprised if the infielder returns to the team’s lineup next week.
Turner already made it through each phase of his recovery before the Philadelphia squad declared him ready to come off the 10-day disabled list, but there is optimism that he can conclude his recovery without any setbacks or a rehab assignment. Turner has not seen action since May 3, when he strained his left hamstring.
Turner and Phillies manager Rob Thomson said the shortstop is running at 75 to 80 percent speed, which is where he was in Colorado late last month when he suffered a setback.
“I’m in the same place, but a little better,” Turner said in London. “In Denver I felt a lot of rigidity. He felt as if he was still injured. Now that is not the case. “I’m running with the same intensity, but the good thing is that it feels different.”
Turner probably won’t take a rehab assignment before he is activated by the Phillies, according to Thomson and Turner (the shortstop has the right to decline such an assignment). Bryce Harper opted out of a rehab assignment last year when he missed the start of the season following Tommy John surgery.
