Inside Trea Turner’s remarkable improvement at shortstop that has turned him into an MVP candidate

A decade into his major league career, three seasons into an 11-year contract with the Phillies, Trea Turner is making the plays he’s expected to make with more regularity than ever. Sprinkle in a few SportsCenter-worthy highlights and it’s plain to see that he’s been among the most improved defenders in the sport.

Don’t believe your eyes? Quantifying defense is often inexact, even in the analytics age. But in Turner’s case, the alphabet soup of data — OAA, DRS, UZR, take your pick — corroborates the eye test.

Turner’s improvement may not translate into a Gold Glove. (The Cardinals’ Mason Wynn is likely the favorite among National League shortstops.) But it has turned him into a sure-fire MVP candidate.

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