The Blue Jays Hit The Jackpot With Justin Turner

The Toronto Blue Jays may have struck silver (if not gold) when they signed Justin Turner to be their primary designated hitter this past winter. Heading into the off-season, the Blue Jays wanted and needed to augment their offense, which was mid last year (below MLB average in total home runs and RBI, above MLB average in batting average, hits, and OPS). And while re-signing Matt Chapman to play third base was an option, his offensive profile was not that enticing (27 home runs in both 2021 and 2022, 17 in 2023, but a slash line of .226/.322/.420 was not what the club needed).

There were four primary DHs available in this past year’s free agent market. The Blue Jays push – and for a few hours (i.e., the length of a flight from Orange County, California to Toronto) the high hopes – for Shohei Ohtani (the gold standard) to join their team fizzled when the best player on the planet elected to sign with the Dodgers. That left three strong possibilities.

Staring at the options, J.D. Martinez, represented by super-agent Scott Boras, may have been viewed as the hardest deal to make. One, he was looking for somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 million over two years; and two, Boras likes to keep his players on the market as long as possible to increase his leverage.

Jorge Soler presented an interesting fit after opting out of his $13 million player’s option with the Marlins. He believed he was worth more, and for longer. He wanted a three-year deal, and most teams were only offering two.

And then there was Justin Turner. Turner would have gladly stayed in Boston, as he loved his time with the Red Sox, where he and his wife quickly made a home and an impact on the community. Unfortunately for the red-headed veteran, the BoSox were looking for more versatility, as they planned to have Masataka Yoshida get most of his at-bats as the designated hitter, freeing up an outfield spot for Jarren Duran and/or Ceddanne Rafaela. Tristan Casas had won first base job, and the franchise – Rafael Devers – would be the mainstay at third base. However, in an ironic twist of fate, Devers has been out of the lineup for numerous games this season with knee issues; Rafaela has been forced to play shortstop after Trevor Story suffered a season-ending shoulder injury; and Casas is out indefinitely with torn rib cartilage, forcing the Red Sox to trade for Garrett Cooper to be a short-term solution at first base. In short, Boston sure could use someone like Justin Turner about now.

With Turner available, the Blue Jays pounced. They signed him to a 1-year, $13 million contract, and have not been disappointed. As of this writing, Turner is slashing .288/.364/.466. His 0.8 bWAR thus far pencils out to about 5.0 bWAR by season’s end. And even if that comes down a bit, at roughly $8 million per bWAR, Turner will be a steal for the Canadian club.

With Turner off the board, the San Francisco Giants signed Soler to a 3-year, $42 million contract (it turns out he was correct about being worth more and for longer). To date, Soler is hitting .216 with 5 home runs and a total of nine extra base hits. The weather will warm in San Francisco, and his numbers may get better. But, as of now, his 0.1 bWAR does not make this look like a great signing. And, there are two more guaranteed years after 2024.

True to form, Martinez signed with the New York Mets in late March, missing all of Spring Training. He agreed to be optioned to Triple-A to start the season, and then hurt his back. He made his debut with the Mets last Friday night, hitting a single in his first at bat, and knocking in a run with another hit later in the game. The Mets got a huge bargain: 1 year, $12 million, with $7.5 million deferred and due to be paid between 2034 and 2038. So, only getting 17 at bats in the first month of the season is no sweat off the Mets’ back, but they will need Martinez to hit in line with his career .287/.350/.524 slash line for the team to compete this season.

It had to have been bittersweet for the Dodgers to see their former teammate in another blue uniform last weekend (Freddie Freeman gave Turner a hug at first base), just as it will be for the Red Sox when they go to Toronto in June. But one team’s trash is another team’s treasure. At this point in the season, with the Blue Jays hitting .227 as a team, with Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Bo Bichette, and George Springer all hitting below .230, the club is quite happy to have Justin Turner and his four home runs, team-leading 15 RBI, and his nearly .300 batting average anchoring the lineup every night.