Trea Turner found the perfect way to thank Phillies fans after they donated to charity and gave him an ovation to encourage him out of his slump.
It's safe to say Trea Turner's first season in Philadelphia has been a massive disappointment. He's been posting career worsts at the plate and committing error after error on the diamond.
Normally, you'd expect fans to boo a player who bagged a massive contract and then failed to live up to expectations. But Phillies fans took a different track.
On Thursday, a fan sparked a wave of donations to one of Turner's favorite charities to put their frustration to better use.
On Friday night, fans at Citizens Bank Park gave the shortstop a standing ovation.
Then on Saturday, Turner repaid them for the gesture with a go-ahead home run to complete a comeback win.
But Turner wasn't finished showing his appreciation to the fans and their support. He's now put up billboards around the city that say, "Thank you, Philly."
Trea Turner puts up billboards to thank Phillies fans
Everything about this storyline has been wonderfully heartwarming. Turner's struggles could have been the latest in the annals of relationships between players and fans being broken over mutual frustration. Instead, the fans went the supportive route and the player responded in the most positive way.
Obviously, Turner needs to settle down and start playing the way that got him two All-Star nods and an 11-year contract from the Phillies. It'll just be a lot easier to do that without the suffocating pressure that might have been building up before all this.
Turner hadn't hit a home run since July 8 when he sent that one into the stands on Saturday. He has four hits and five RBI since the ovation on Friday.
