After turning down a qualifying offer of $19.65 million last week, Trea Turner is now a free agent, free to sign with any team.
Turner has spent the past year and a half with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He could still resign from the Dodgers, but where can Turner sign, if he walks away?
Here are eight potential free agent landing spots for Turner:
1) Seattle Mariners —CEO Jerry Dipoto has been very active, replenishing his club through agency and free trades. The Mariners reported ‘checking in’ on Turner and may be looking for an upgrade from JP Crawford in a shortcut location.
2) Atlanta Braves — The Braves will be in the market for a replacement at short if they do not resign Dansby Swanson. If there is a shortstop on the market that they like more than Swanson, they could pursue him instead, or replace Swanson internally.
3) San Francisco Giants — The Giants are looking to make a splash this winter, in hopes of contending for another National League West crown and surpassing the Dodgers and San Diego Padres. If the club is unable to sign Aaron Judge, Turner, or another shortstop, could be their next-best target.
4) Philadelphia Phillies — The Phillies came remarkably close to winning their first World Series since 2008 last month. With one of the league’s highest payrolls, the Phillies might keep spending, and shortstop is a position where they could seek an upgrade.
5) New York Yankees —The Yankees agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal with Isiah Kiner-Falefa last week, but that doesn’t guarantee that IKF will be a regular, daily stop for the club throughout 2023. Kiner-Falefa won the Golden Gloves at third base in 2020 as a member of the Texas Rangers, and was benched after the season.
The Yankees have a batch of exciting young shortstops in their system, including top prospects Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe. Executive Brian Cashman might not pursue a free agent shortstop, in hopes of using IKF as a bridge to Peraza, Volpe and/or Oswaldo Cabrera. But if the Yankees are unable to retain Aaron Judge, they may feel pressure to need to add another star, and Turner certainly is one.
6) Boston Red Sox — Like the Braves, the Red Sox have a star stop of their own on the open market. If they can’t resign Xander Bogaerts, they can either replace Bogaerts internally or buy another star on the open market.
7) Chicago Cubs — Rumors have linked the Cubs to Turner, but with 25-year-old shortstop Nico Hoerner coming off a breakout season and the promising Nick Madrigal on the other side of second base, the middle infield isn’t exactly a weakness for the Cubs. If ownership is feeling pressure from fans to spend on a star, Turner would fit the bill, but it may be in the Cubs’ best interests to wait until the club is closer to contention before supplementing their club via free agency.
8) St. Louis Cardinals — The Cardinals have shown an interest in spending this winter and Paul DeJong has had his worst professional season in 2022, hitting just 0.157. SThe shortstopcould be a position where chief executive John Mozeliak could look for an upgrade.