The offseason has barely begun, but one American League West hopeful is already trying to turn a midseason trade for a rental player into a longer-term marriage. When the Seattle Mariners acquired Justin Turner from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 29, they were in a virtual tie for first place with the Houston Astros in the American League West.
More news: Aaron Boone Responds to Dodgers Pitcher Slamming Yankees A fan favorite from his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2013-22) and Boston Red Sox (2023), Turner proved he could still be a productive hitter across 48 games in Seattle. He slashed .264/.363/.403 with five home runs and 24 RBIs, good for a 128 OPS+. Unfortunately for the Mariners, Turner’s teammates could not turn up their production down the stretch. A 29-26 record after the trade was consummated was not enough for Seattle, who finished 85-77 — one game behind the Kansas City Royals for the third and final American League Wild Card berth.
As the Mariners look to retool for 2024, they are hoping to keep their good thing going with Turner. General manager Justin Hollander told MLB.com that they have already had discussions about a reunion. “We’ve already had discussions with JT and reiterated our interest that we expressed at the end of the season,” Hollander said via MLB.com’s Sonja Chen and Daniel Kramer. “He’s a player that connected with a lot of different parts of our clubhouse. We’d love to have JT back.”
More news: All 30 MLB Teams Checking In With Free Agent Pitcher: Report Turner, who turns 40 on Nov. 23, has already said he intends to play next season. Given his age, it’s likely he will be limited to a one-year guarantee in his next contract.
However, Turner has done his best work in his career in his 30s, a time when many players’ careers are winding down. From ages 30-39, Turner accrued 33.6 Wins Above Replacement according to Baseball Reference, compared to just 4.7 WAR in his 20s. More news: Dodgers’ Hometown Star Could Be ‘High-End Starter’ Team Seeks: Report
Most of that value came during Turner’s time as a third baseman in Los Angeles. He became a fan favorite there not just for his workmanlike attitude and off-the-field charitable works, but his postseason heroics. Turner shared the 2017 National League Championship Series MVP award, and slashed .270/.370/.460 in nine October appearances (86 games) with the Dodgers from 2014-22. The 2022 Roberto Clemente Award winner, Turner slashed .276/.345/.455 for Boston in 2023, with 23 home runs and 96 RBIs.
