Turner can provide a lot to a contender
If Justin Turner doesn’t return to the Red Sox for the 2024 Major League Baseball season, there apparently still is a chance he will remain in the American League East.
Turner punched his ticket to free agency after exercising his player opt-out earlier in the offseason. That move was an expected one, as the 38-year-old set himself up nicely for the open market by putting together a very solid 2023 campaign in Boston.
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There appears to be a good level of interest in Turner, who reportedly has suitors in Arizona and New York and could be a good fit for a team like the Seattle Mariners. Another team to keep an eye on is the Blue Jays, who have shown “some degree of interest” in Turner, per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.
To be clear, it doesn’t sound like Toronto has zeroed in on Turner. Nicholson-Smith the Jays have also shown interest in other candidates who could provide offensive depth, such as Rhys Hoskins, J.D. Martinez and Joc Pederson.
Turner probably would come cheaper than those players, though. A pair of MLB experts predicted the two-time All-Star to fetch a one-year deal in free agency valued in the $12-14 million range.