The 39-year-old Turner will likely not return to Boston this season.
The breakout player from the previous season, Justin Turner, is still available as a free agency. However, according to Jon Morosi, the 15-year MLB veteran’s decision on his next destination is “increasingly likely” to be made this week.
Turner’s return to the Boston Red Sox is unlikely, and Morosi almost confirmed as much on Monday, ranking the Giants, Mets, Blue Jays, and Cubs as the top teams vying for Turner’s services.
Turner was 39 in November, meaning that while he is getting close to the conclusion of his career, his 2023 campaign should be more than enough to persuade potential suitors that he has plenty left in the tank.
In the middle of the Red Sox lineup, Turner hit.276 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI in what looks to be his final season in Boston. At this point in his career, he achieved an astounding feat by surpassing his career RBI total. After spending nine seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he was a part of their 2020 World Series title squad, the California native moved to the East Coast in 2023.
Justin Turner’s free-agent decision is increasingly likely to occur this week.@redturn2’s market is helped by the fact that multiple large-market teams — Giants, Mets, Blue Jays, Cubs — are looking to add an impact corner infielder. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 29, 2024
Turner was given the opportunity to return to Boston for $13.4 million in 2024, but he chose to accept a $6.7 million buyout instead.
Turner has always played corner infield positions, and the Red Sox have made significant investments there. Rafael Devers, a third baseman, is just one year into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract.
As for first baseman Triston Casas, who just turned 24, he was a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award at his position and placed third in the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year vote.
Turner played 41 games at first base, 10 at second base, and 7 at third base in his 98 games as the team’s designated hitter in the previous campaign. At this point, it seems likely that Masataka Yoshida will get the majority of at-bats at that position in the lineup, even if Boston has not stated whether they intend to use a platoon approach or hire a full-time DH in 2024.
In 2023, Yoshida played 49 games as the Red Sox’s designated hitter when his poor fielding started to show as a hindrance. This was his first MLB season.
