We know Trea Turner can fly. We know Trea Turner can rake. And early indications are that the Washington Nationals' 23-year-old phenom -- who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting last year after hitting .342 with 13 homers and 33 steals in less than half a season -- can pick it, too.
After capably moonlighting as a center fielder last year, the former first-round pick finds himself back at shortstop this season, anchoring Washington’s infield. The eight assists he recorded on Opening Day in D.C. were the most by a Nats shortstop since 2015 and included a splashy, backhanded diving stop in the hole that almost single-handedly silenced those who doubt his arm strength.
That’s not to say Turner’s perfect. A bumpy beginning to the 2017 season -- he hit just .158 in Washington’s first five games -- got even bumpier when he suffered a strained hammy. Here, fresh off an all-expenses-paid trip to the brand new 10-day DL, Washington’s table-setter dishes on what gets him going.
Guilty pleasure: Candy and soda. I love sweets. All of it. Anything and everything. I like chocolate, but I really like candy -- gummy bears, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, that kind of stuff. I've always been able to eat whatever I want, but I try not to binge too much because it's eventually going to catch up with me one way or another. As for soda, I like Dr. Pepper and Pepsi. Caffeine doesn't do much to me. I'm usually able to drink or eat whatever, and then go right to sleep.
Must-see TV: My all-time favorite show is "Blacklist." But right now, I'm binge-watching "The Office." I started a couple months ago, and I’m already on Season 6 or 7. My favorite character is Dwight because he's a mess. But Steve Carell also cracks me up. My favorite episode is the one where he somehow manages to cook his own foot in a grill, which is pretty hilarious. I don't like watching shows on TV because I can't wait a week to watch the next episode, so I watch it on Netflix. I think I watched all three seasons of "Blacklist" in a week.
Hidden talent: I'm a boring guy. I can't sing. I can't dance. I can't play an instrument or anything. Let’s just say my hidden talent is blank.
Artist on repeat: The Weeknd. I don’t have one favorite song of his -- I like them all. I haven't seen him in concert, but I want to. I'm hoping maybe next offseason I can try to go and see him. There’s a lot of Michael Jackson in him. I like Michael's music too. I went and saw the Michael Jackson version of Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, which was pretty cool.
Pastime passion: Laying in my bed. Usually on off days, I try to do as little as possible. Maybe shop a little bit. I don't really have one hobby. I mix it up. I play video games here and there. I used to like “Call of Duty,” but I've been pretty disappointed in their last few, so I've been playing 2K basketball. I create my own guy. His name is Trea. I'm not naming him anything else. After all, it’s me. Sometimes I make him a big man, sometimes I make him a point guard. I didn't play basketball in high school, but I wish I would've. Not that I'm good at it, but I feel like if I practiced, I'd be all right.
Last book: Last season, I read "Shoe Dog." It's about how Nike was founded, and how they built their business. It was pretty interesting. I always wondered why it's called Nike, and why they have the swoosh. They explain all of it. And how when [Nike co-founder Phil Knight] started off, he wasn't even selling his own shoe. He had to sell other people's shoes, and then it turned into his own company. I read it on my phone. I'm not big into the hard copies -- just another thing that you have to carry around.
Coolest contact: Bryce Harper's the most popular contact I have in my phone. As for coolest, maybe Bucky Dent? I played with his son Cody in high school, and he actually coached us a little bit. Every once in a while, he'd show up and do infield stuff with us. He has a Bucky Dent camp down in Florida that I went to as a little kid. They have baseball players show up and sign autographs. One time, Miguel Cabrera showed up, back when he played for the Marlins. That was a big deal for me because I grew up a Marlins fan.
Earliest memory: I remember my parents pitching to me outside my grandparents’ house, throwing me a little ball. I think there's a picture of it somewhere -- I was hitting in a diaper or something. I was probably 2 or 3. They used to pitch to me all the time. I never wanted to stop or go eat dinner. I just wanted to keep hitting.