TORONTO – All off-season, it’s been clear the Blue Jays needed offensive upgrades. On Tuesday, they took their biggest step yet toward augmenting their lineup, agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with Justin Turner that would pay the 39-year-old a base salary of $13 million in 2024.
The deal, which was first reported by Carlos Baerga and Jon Morosi, is pending a physical, an industry source told me and Shi Davidi.
A veteran of 15 big-league seasons, Turner brings a lifetime .288/.363/.465 batting line to the Blue Jays’ lineup plus extensive post-season experience. In 86 career playoff games, he’s a .270/.370/.460 hitter on his way to the 2017 NLCS MVP and a World Series title with the 2020 Dodgers.
More recently, Turner, spent the 2023 season with the Red Sox, where he hit .276/.345/.455 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI in 146 games. He was Boston’s DH 98 times last year while appearing 41 times at first base, 10 times at second and seven times at third.
As a Blue Jay, that playing time mix could shift. Expect Turner to DH regularly, but when he does take the field, the Blue Jays have a greater need at third base (which Rafael Devers has covered in Boston) than first (where Vladimir Guerrero Jr. plays most days in Toronto).
Offensively, Turner provides manager John Schneider with a compelling cleanup option behind George Springer, Bo Bichette and Guerrero Jr. For his career, Turner has even splits against right-handers (.830 OPS) and left-handers (.826 OPS), allowing managers to slot him into one spot regardless of opponent. In 2023, for instance, he hit third 101 times while batting second 40 times.
With Turner and Isiah Kiner-Falefa available to cover third base, a reunion with Matt Chapman now seems less likely (though perhaps not impossible). Turner’s deal also brings the Blue Jays up to MLB’s first competitive balance tax threshold and further significant additions would likely push them past the second threshold.
So far this off-season, the Blue Jays have completed deals with Kiner-Falefa, Kevin Kiermaier and Cuban pitcher Yariel Rodriguez along with Turner. It’s been an off-season without splashy additions despite the pursuit of Shohei Ohtani that dominated headlines until he chose the Dodgers in December.
And despite Turner’s strong track record, he will arrive in Toronto with some questions. Later this year he turns 40, making him one of the game oldest position players. In 2023, the only position players older than him were Nelson Cruz (now retired), Miguel Cabrera (now retired), Joey Votto (free agent) and Yuli Gurriel (free agent).
Turner’s a below average runner (ninth percentile sprint speed) whose defensive metrics weren’t strong in 2023. But he’s not here for his legs or his glove. Turner’s knowledge of the strike zone remains elite, meaning he’s still tough to strike out (17.6-per-cent strikeout rate in 2023). Ultimately, the results don’t lie: he hasn’t had an OPS+ below 114 in more than a decade.
So while there’s risk here, it’s just a one-year deal, and if anyone can sustain above average offensive performance into his age-39 season, it’s probably Turner.
