The Marlins have checked into Justin Turner’s market, The Miami Herald’s Craig Mish reports (via Twitter). Turner entered free agency after the Dodgers declined their $16MM club option on the veteran infielder.
Turner has spent the last nine seasons in Los Angeles, becoming a fan favorite and a key figure in the Dodgers’ success. Despite being something of an afterthought early in his career with the Orioles and Mets, Turner blossomed once coming to L.A., hitting .296/.375/.490 with 156 homers over his 4220 plate appearances in a Dodger uniform. The highlights included two All-Star appearances, NLCS MVP honors in 2017, and the Dodgers’ World Series championship in 2020.
Though 2022 was Turner’s age-37 season, he still provided a very solid 123 wRC+ by hitting .278/.350/.438 with 13 homers in 532 PA. Given how Turner struggled badly in the first three months before catching fire later, it is quite possible that the lockout and the abbreviated Spring Training threw off Turner’s usual routine, leaving him in need of some time to get fully ramped up. This bodes well for his chances of continuing to hit even as he gets deeper into his late 30’s.
The Dodgers’ decision to decline Turner’s option may have been simply more about flexibility than a reflection of the team’s feelings about Turner’s production going forward, as president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has said that the team wants to bring Turner back for the 2023 campaign. Turner has re-signed with the Dodgers in past trips to free agency, and yet if he is looking for a new chapter, the Marlins are one of many teams that should have interest in a reliable veteran bat who might not be overly expensive.
MLBTR projected Turner for a one-year, $14MM contract, which should work even with the Marlins’ rather modest budget. Turner’s veteran leadership would also boost a young Miami clubhouse, and he would be reunited with former Dodger co-hitting coach Brant Brown, who was recently hired as the Marlins’ hitting coach.
On the field, Turner’s production would upgrade a lineup that has been among the league’s worst for two seasons running. Brian Anderson was non-tendered, leaving third base wide open for Turner — utilityman Joey Wendle can play all over the diamond, perhaps only getting some third base time when Turner is getting a DH day, or perhaps playing first base. With the Marlins focusing on improving their contact hitting, Turner would be an excellent fit given his career-long ability to put the ball in play and avoid strikeouts.
We all know for sure that “interested” don’t mean crap.
If you’re a Red Sox fan you sure do
a good dude for any team.
If he signs with the fish he needs to be called the Red Snapper
If he goes to the Marlins, that’s what I will call him.
“The Red Snapper takes one deep!!!!”
‘”That ball is going back & swimming away, you can’t reel that one back, it’s out of here! The Red Snapper does it again!”” I can see it right now.
Baseball Reference better reflect the new nickname too!
Craven, if it sticks you can send baseball reference a message and suggest it. They actually responded to me and made sure Tony Gonsolin was henceforth known as the Cat Man.
HELL YEAH BRUTHUR
Red Snapper? I was always warned to stay away from her in high school…..
Dodgers need you still JT!!
At this stage in his career, Justin Turner is still a solid bat but his fielding is getting worse. I think Marlins would be an odd fit as Soler is a logical candidate for lots of DH at-bats.
JT wants to play on a competitive team he’s not going to the Marlins, this is a fishy report.
I would imagine a contender would snap up Turner as a platoon/bench player before he goes to the Marlins.
If a contender sees him as a platoon bat they’ll want to try to bring him in at $4-5M. If Marlins see him as their everyday 3B they’d probably offer him more. Maybe 1/ $8M. He’s not gonna turn down $2-3M to go to a contender. Besides, with Miami’s pitching staff they are a few bats away from being contenders themselves
Seems he turned down more than 2-3M to stay with LA in past no?
I think he should be a defensive platoon compliment and a primary DH for whomever he signs with.
On a one year deal he could get that $14M or do better. I could see someone desperate and optimistic giving him 2 years/$32M.
2/32 would be one SWEET deal for JT anywhere TTO…Anyone offers him that and he runs to them!
Hence the qualifying descriptors of “desperate and optimistic” lol.
Though, at 2.0 WAR and a veteran with a track record, he could absolutely ask for $13M-$19M a year and be asking for the market value of his WAR number from 2022.
1 WAR = $5.583M on average.
2 WAR = $11.167M
Veterans WAR is sometimes valued as high as $9M per 1 WAR.
$5.583 + $9 / 2 = $7.292 x 2 = $14.5M
Dodgers won in 2020
Hi Jeffers! Never seen you around these parts! Welcome!
Did they, though?
43 regular season games and the October Madness Tournament.
Ummm yeah… you can stop with you know…. I’m not a Dodgers fan, can’t stand em, but nobody is sitting here saying the Houston Astros won a “madness tournament in 2022?” Get used to it… madness tournament are your playoffs from here on out…. the fact that they did make it to the world series and beat a very good Rays team in 6 games its the same, you better start saying that about Houston…. I don’t care how long the regular season is, ALL THAT MATTERS IS THE POSTSEASON! Ask any highly favored team to win the world series who didn’t even win the Pennant? 2006 Mets, 2011 Phillies, what happened to those teams? Oh those were fluke years as well? So the 2007 Rockies were a fluke team or any other wild card team by that Merritt? The 2022 Philles were a fluke team…. see what your doing? GTFO with that nonsense
So much anger
Dodgers won in 2020, not 2022
He’s staying in the LA/OC/SD area. Not going to Florida.
I’d love to see him head down the freeway to San Diego and switch over to 1B.
LOL why? Jesus…is it that bad in Miami?
I’d rather get Jake Burger from the White Sox. He’s younger, way cheaper and has more power.
Jake burger is a great player, I could see him on the Marlins
Only way to respond to the Phillies signing Trea Turner
Nothing way out of ordinary about his slow start last season. This is actually his career pattern.
Get Alex Rios instead.
The Marlins are the Kingfish of interest in FAs.
I love him for a poor desperate team. Hope this isn’t the year he falls off a cliff and get a big bat on the cheap.
I can envision the Marlins being involved in a Yankees trade with Pittsburgh also. Marlins match up better with the Yankees prospects going there, while Pittsburgh would have more variety with the Miami prospects/players.
Obviously the NY benefit would be Reynolds, but it is going to cost a haul.
If he signs with the Marlins I hope his playing time does not get scaled back.
If the Marlins can reel him in, it will be a great catch, so long as his two-knees stay healthy and he can avoid the sturgeon.
Did we ever get the final death toll in the aftermath of his entering the field without a mask on? I know the majority of this teammates passed away, but was a calculation able to be projected as to how many thousands of lives were lost not only in the crowd but also those outside the stadium who later interacted with the fans?
The Marlins are interested and checking in on everyone, every single offseason, and we all know where that leads
Now that I ‘ve thought about this a little, this is an annoying to hear. Here’s why:
Let me get this straight….we non-tender Brian Anderson, but will now pursue an aging and declining player who will be in his age-38 season? And further, we kept Garrett Cooper despite him never being healthy, and not being cornerstone type of player like we treat him like?
And to think people actually question some of us that point out that this very likely will be Kim Ng’s final offseason before fans start calling for her firing.