Justin Turner Signs One-Year Deal

Justin Turner was linked to the Chicago Cubs on Monday, but one of the other interested teams has come away with the 39-year-old hitter. According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, Turner is signing a one-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Turner hit 23 home runs with the Boston Red Sox in 2023, posting a 114 wRC+ in 146 games. The veteran slugger, who is now primarily a designated hitter, declined a player option to return to the Red Sox this offseason, passing up $13.4 million and receiving a $6.7 million buyout from Boston to once again test free agency.

As discussed below, the Cubs mention from Morosi on Monday for Turner’s services didn’t exactly match up with previous reports of what the team has been targeting in free agency. While the Cubs need to add at least one more proven hitter, the team and sources around the league have indicated that they are trying to acquire left-handed hitting.

Also, at this point it would also be advantageous to add a legit threat at the plate who can play third base. While Turner has been solid even in his later years, he is no longer a viable option to play the hot corner anymore, at least not on semi-regular basis. Turner started a total of seven games at third base last year in Boston.

(Previous Update)

This was an interesting link Monday morning. Apparently veteran hitter and now primary DH, Justin Turner is seemingly close to signing a free agent deal and the Chicago Cubs were brought up by MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.

Turner, now 39-years-old, signed with the Boston Red Sox for the 2023 season and turned in a solid year at the plate. The right-handed hitter slashed .276/.345/.455, with 23 home runs in 146 games. Despite a bit of regression, Turner finished 2023 with a 114 wRC+. He may not be the beast that he once was with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Turner has certainly been a productive hitter later in his career.

However, would this still be a good fit for the Cubs in 2024? After trading for Michael Busch and the front office making it clear that the former top Dodgers prospect will be getting every-day playing time with the Cubs to begin the season, right-handed first baseman Rhys Hoskins suddenly fell off the team’s radar.

Hoskins ended up signing a two-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Busch is expected to get the majority of his playing time at first base with the Cubs. Turner, who was once a cornerstone at third base with the Dodgers through the 2010s, is pretty much a full-time DH nowadays, while also getting into the lineup at first base. During the 2023 season with the Red Sox, Turner started 98 games at DH, 35 at first, 7 at third base and 4 at second base.

So, if the Cubs pretty much passed on Hoskins to come in as a backup first baseman and DH option, would they pay up for a 39-year-old Justin Turner?

Last offseason, Turner signed a one-year deal with Boston that included a player option worth $13.4 million for 2024. Turner declined the option for this season and instead took a $6.7 million buyout after earning a base salary of $8.3 million in 2023.

I’m assuming Turner is after another one-year deal and will probably want $10+ million.

If the Cubs really are interested, then what happens to Christopher Morel? Does it mean the Cubs have confidence in him playing good enough defense at third base to get consistent playing time? Does it mean the Cubs are actually going to give Busch more run at third base after his own defensive struggles at the hot corner and open up more at-bats at first base for Turner?

This Cubs connection just doesn’t completely line up with what the Cubs have been publicly saying they are looking for in free agency. All we’ve seen is how the Cubs want another left-handed hitter and Cody Bellinger remains at the top of that wishlist.

I obviously wouldn’t mind the addition of Turner, but if the Cubs go that direction, I’d prefer the better and a few years younger slugger J.D. Martinez instead.

We’ll see how real this inclusion of the Cubs in the Justin Turner bidding really is and that might be sooner rather than later.