The Toronto Blue Jays and a free agency target of the Chicago Cubs have reached an agreement.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Toronto Blue Jays and Justin Turner have reached an agreement on a one-year contract.
The Chicago Cubs were one of four teams who expressed interest in the veteran hitter, according to a Monday report from Morosi.
Turner achieved success in 2023 with the Boston Red Sox following almost ten years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He cut.23 home runs in a season, the fourth-most in his career, let him score 276/.345/.455.
The recently turned 39-year-old proved that he can still hit at the big league level. For a team like the Cubs who were looking for someone to do that, it’s disappointing that they couldn’t finalize a deal.
As currently constructed, Chicago’s offense doesn’t leave much to be desired.
While Turner wasn’t going to be the one who saved the offense, the Cubs need to add an offensive player. With the possibility of Cody Bellinger not returning, Chicago’s offense is begging for anyone to come and add value.
There aren’t many free-agent hitters available that could increase the overall hitting profile of this roster, and outside of Bellinger, Turner might’ve been the top one remaining.
He now lands on a Blue Jays team that has World Series aspirations, and they’re hopeful that he can bring similar production to them as he did with the Red Sox in 2023.
With Spring Training right around the corner, the clock is ticking for the Cubs. If a hitter comes around who can potentially help them, the front office has to jump all over getting a deal done.
