Red Sox to sign former Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner to two-year deal, per reports

The Crimson Sox have discovered their substitute for J.D. Martinez.

Sunday night, a number of shops reported that the Sox had agreed to a two-year contract with Justin Turner, the 38-year-old who has spent the final 9 seasons with the Dodgers, successful a World Collection alongside Mookie Betts, Kiké Hernandez and Kenley Jansen in 2020.

Betts stays in Los Angeles together with Martinez, who reportedly signed a one-year, $10-million take care of the Dodgers this weekend, although the Crimson Sox now have Hernandez, Jansen and Turner on their roster. Hernandez was clearly excited concerning the transfer, posting a smiley face, a photograph and a video of the 2 former teammates on social media Sunday.

Whereas the Crimson Sox are being out-spent by a handful of groups this winter, they’ve been aggressive in signing a number of former Dodgers, together with Jansen, Turner and reliever Chris Martin.

The monetary particulars on Turner’s contract are unsure, although ESPN reported it was a two-year deal price $22 million that might enable Turner to decide out after the 2023 season. In that case, the Sox are nonetheless about $30 million below the luxurious tax threshold, although they’ve been over in every of the final two seasons.

They nonetheless want a beginning pitcher and have insisted they need one who’s a “chief” and would make them be ok with beginning him in a playoff recreation. Many of the huge names are off the board, although Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Wacha nonetheless stay.

Turner provides the Crimson Sox flexibility in that he can function a DH or a 3rd baseman. He cut up his time between third and DH final yr and has performed principally third base since becoming a member of the Dodgers from the Mets in 2014. However he additionally has some expertise at first base, second base and shortstop. This far into his profession, it’s unlikely he’d play a premium place.

Both manner, the Sox get the right-handed bat they desperately wanted after shedding each Martinez and Xander Bogaerts in free company.

Turner has been constant towards lefties and righties all through his profession and is theoretically able to taking part in day-after-day, although he’s recorded greater than 500 at-bats simply as soon as within the final six years.

In 2022, he hit .278 with a .350 on-base proportion and .788 OPS. His energy suffered a giant drop final yr, when he hit simply 13 homers in 128 video games, down from 27 dwelling runs in 151 video games in 2021.

His plate strategy has lengthy been thought-about elite, together with his capacity to attract walks and keep away from strikeouts nearly as good as any. Together with the Sox’ signing of Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida, who profiles as a premium leadoff man together with his capacity to get on base, the Crimson Sox now have a pair of gamers with far more affected person approaches than a lot of the gamers on the roster.

Placing out too usually and chasing pitches out of the zone has been a difficulty in recent times and one thing supervisor Alex Cora has burdened to his gamers. Cora and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom have mentioned this winter that they wish to discover gamers with smarter approaches, and it seems they’re doing simply that.

Whereas they nonetheless want to seek out both a second baseman, middle fielder or shortstop to switch Bogaerts, they’ve added sufficient items to have a lineup that appears succesful.

One doable lineup would go Yoshida in left subject, Rafael Devers at third, Turner at DH, Story at shortstop, Triston Casas at first base, Alex Verdugo in proper, Hernandez in middle, Christian Arroyo at second and Reese McGuire at catcher.

The Crimson Sox have been concerned within the catching market however it’s clear their greatest wants at this level within the offseason are within the center infield and beginning rotation.